Artificial Nutrition And Hydration And The Permanently Unconscious Patient

During the past few decades, high-profile cases like that of Terry Schiavo have fueled the public debate over forgoing or withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration from patients in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). These cases, whether involving adults or young children, have forced many to begin thinking in a measured and careful way about the moral legitimacy of allowing patients to die. Can families forgo or withdraw artificial hydration and nutrition from their loved ones when no hope of recovery seems possible? Many Catholics know that Catholic moral theology has formulated a well-developed and well-reasoned position on this and other end-of-life issues, one that distinguishes between "ordinary" and "extraordinary" treatment. But recent events have caused uncertainty and confusion and even acrimony among the faithful. In his 2004 allocution, Pope John Paul II proposed that artificial nutrition and hydration is a form of basic care, thus suggesting that the provision of such care to patients neurologically incapable of feeding themselves should be considered a moral obligation. The pope's address, which seemed to have offered a new development to decades of Catholic health care ethics, sparked a contentious debate among the faithful over how best to treat permanently unconscious patients within the tenets of Catholic morality. In this comprehensive and balanced volume, Ronald Hamel and James Walter present twenty-one essays and articles, contributed by physicians, clergy, theologians, and ethicists, to reflect the spectrum of perspectives on the issues that define the Catholic debate. Organized into six parts, each with its own introduction, the essays offer clinical information on PVS and feeding tubes; discussions on the Catholic moral tradition and how it might be changing; ecclesiastical and pastoral statements on forgoing or withdrawing nutrition and hydration; theological and ethical analyses on the issue; commentary on Pope John Paul II's 2004 allocution; and the theological commentary, court decisions, and public policy resulting from the Clarence Herbert and Claire Conroy legal cases. A valuable resource for students and scholars, this teachable volume invites theological dialogue and ethical discussion on one of the most contested issues in the church today.

What are feeding tubes? Why are they used? Must they always be used? What does Catholic teaching have to say about tube feeding? How can relatives reach sound moral decisions about using, forgoing, or withdrawing tube feeding from incompetent loved ones? Why do courts, state legislatures, and well-informed citizens disagree about whether or not tube feeding is ordinarily required? In Hard Decisions, Eileen P. Flynn, a respected Roman Catholic moral theologian, presents through and balanced answers to today's questions about tube feeding.

This timely and up to date new edition of Biomedicine and Beatitude features an entirely new chapter on the ethics of bodily modification. It is also updated throughout to reflect the pontificate of Pope Francis, recent concerns including ethical issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic, and feedback from the many instructors who used the first edition in the classroom.

Decision making for patients in the vegetative state is a complex issue and needs an interdisciplinary discourse that combines different perspectives. This book is based on an international neuroethics workshop for young academics and health care practitioners that took place in Munich and was funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Various competitively-selected participants from different countries describe their scientific contributions or their clinical experiences. Moreover, experts from the field of medical ethics, neuroethics, and neuroscience contribute their Ã?Â?perspectives. (Series: Ethik in der Praxis / Practical Ethics - Studien / Studies - Vol. 36)

Pope John Paul II surprised much of the medical world in 2004 with his strongly worded statement insisting that patients in a persistent vegetative state should be provided with nutrition and hydration. This collection of essays featuring some of the most prominent Catholic bioethicists addresses the Pope’s statements, the moral issues surrounding artificial feeding and hydration, the refusal of treatment, and the ethics of care for those at the end of life.

"Gamino and Ritter do an excellent job of providing cogent advice and helpful suggestions for how professionals can manage ethical dilemmas that arise from the practice of grief counseling." -J. William Worden, PhD, ABPP Clinical Psychologist Laguna Niguel, California Author, Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy, 4th Edition (From the Foreword) Essential reading for grief counselors, mental health clinicians, death educators, hospice workers, clergy, funeral directors, and social workers. Grief counselors are confronted daily with a host of serious ethical dilemmas, some so critical that they can drastically change the course of a counselor's practice and career. This practical and authoritative guide serves as a comprehensive handbook for navigating the difficult ethical issues grief counselors confront daily with clients. These include confidentiality, end-of-life issues, intimacies with clients, challenges posed by unnatural deaths, spiritual and cultural considerations, and many more. To tackle these issues head on, Gamino and Ritter present the Five P Model, a customized process for ethical decision-making that will help counselors outline a specific, step-by-step course of action to respond to the ethical dilemma at hand. The book is also rich with case examples, both hypothetical and real-life, to demonstrate how to implement the Five P Model in practice, and apply it to various ethical dilemmas. Among the key topics discussed: How to address ethical problems posed by Internet counseling, such as authenticating identity, securing confidentiality, and intervening in a crisis Death competence on the part of the counselor and how the counselor's own experience of grieving can inform counseling practice Guidance on how to report a colleague or face a complaint How to meet ethical obligations towards clients when moving or closing a practice

This thoughtful and compassionate account addresses issues which range from euthanasia and living wills through to health policy and resource allocation.