Basic Care and Medical Treatment at the End of Life

This family has understood the explanation from the speech and language therapist that their mother is unable to swallow safely, and even though the clinical team would support the family with risk feeding, the family does not wish to cause any coughing or choking. Risk feeding acknowledges that there is a risk of choking and food or drink going into the lungs of a patient unable to swallow safely. This risk may be seen as acceptable if withholding food or drink is felt to be inappropriate, for instance if the patient is in the last days of life. Instead, this family has asked the clinical team to place a feeding tube, so that their mother ‘doesn’t starve to death’. They accept that she is likely to die in the next few days from her underlying medical issues.

• What is the difference between medical treatment and basic medical care?
• Can clinically assisted nutrition and hydration legally be withdrawn?

Apply Theory (Specific Professional Healthcare Competencies + Clinical Medical Ethical Principles) to Practice in order to provide Optimal Patient-Centered Care (OPCC)