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ethics - mira1978
#1
A 95-year-old woman in a nursing home has had
advanced vascular dementia, severe dysphagia,
and a 9-kg (20-lb) weight loss over the past 2
months. Her four children are divided regarding
the decision to provide artificial feeding through
a gastrostomy tube. There is no living will. The
oldest son approaches the physician after a
family meeting and says, "You should simply
decide what is best for her and tell the others
that's what we should do." Assuming the
physician proceeds in this manner, which of the
following best describes the physician's action?
(A) Paternalism
(B) Preserving fairness in use of resources
© Protecting patient autonomy
(D) Rationing care
(E) Truth-telling
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#2
AA
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#3
AA
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#4
AAA
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#5
right guys!
pretty good shape
can somebody explain C
tx
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#6
Why AAA? can some one explain? Please
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#7
in some previous post, someone(sorry, don't remember the name) explained the definition of paternalism, God bless his heart. Since then It was easy for me to answer this Q.
So, I am going with AAA as well,

Best of luck,
L.
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#8
AAA
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#9
Just remember this one for Paternalism--A father acts is the best interest of his child. So a doctor who acts in the best interest of the patient--Paternalism( Paternal- Fatherly)
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#10
@neverget99,
"Paternalism" comes from the Latin pater, meaning to act like a father, or to treat another person like a child. In modern philosophy and jurisprudence, it is to act for the good of another person without that person's consent, as parents do for children. It is controversial because its end is benevolent, and its means coercive. Paternalists advance people's interests (such as life, health, or safety) at the expense of their liberty. Sometimes this is based on presumptions about their own wisdom or the foolishness of other people, and can be dismissed as presumptuous.
But it can also be based on relatively good knowledge, as in the case of paternalism over young children or incompetent adults. Sometimes the role of paternalist is thrust upon the unwilling, as when we find ourselves the custodian and proxy for an unconscious or severely retarded relative. Paternalism is a temptation in every arena of life where people hold power over others: in childrearing, education, therapy, and medicine.

In this question, the 4 children of the patient disagreed over whether to continue/discontinue keeping the patient alive. So, they had their family meeting, and agreed to let the physician decide and execute what he/she believes is best for this patient.

Thus, he acted as the "father figure" and made the decision for them, despite the fact that some of them will not agree to this decision. But nevertheless it will be executed.
Again, they have asked him to do that. So, in a sense, it was not completely coercive.

@mira1978,
Protecting patient autonomy means respecting the patient's wishes in this situation. Normally, if there is a living will, the patient's wishes would be expressed in that.
But in this case, it clearly says there is no living will.
So, C can't be correct.

Hope this helps.
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