Quick tip for families in ICU: Do I have the option in keeping my husband on life support?

https://intensivecarehotline.com/blog/quick-tip-for-families-in-icu-do-i-have-the-option-in-keeping-my-husband-on-life-support/

Quick tip for families in ICU: Do I have the option in keeping my husband on life support?

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Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com with another quick tip for families in intensive care.

So, today’s tip is about, “Wanting to know if I have the option in keeping my husband on life support?” Well, what a great question to ask. And the answer is absolutely yes! Because no one can force you to take your husband off life support if you don’t want to. So, that is really important for families in intensive care to know that no matter where you are, no one can force you to take your husband off life support or any family member for that matter as long as you are the next of kin or the power of attorney or the proxy.

So, why is that? Well, any ICU and any state or country has laws around end-of-life situations and who makes what decision. And always remember, ICUs are not operating in a vacuum when it comes to end-of-life. ICUs operate within laws, within constraints, within policies, and procedures, and end-of-life decisions can’t be made in a vacuum. There have to be laws around that, and there have to be policies around that. So, remember, everything in a hospital from mopping the floor to washing the windows has a policy. So, why would end-of-life not have a policy? That’s a no-brainer.

So, what we advise, generally speaking, is if you are in doubt of the ICU is adamant saying, well, they can do whatever they like, (A), they’re not telling the truth and (B), if that is the case, you should be asking for a copy of the policies and guidelines and obviously make sure you are informing yourself about end-of-life decision making from a legal perspective and you will find that in your jurisdiction. And, nine times out of 10 that says that no one can withdraw life support against your wishes, again, as assuming you are the next of kin or the power of attorney, which I assume you are.

That is my quick tip for today.

If you have a loved one in intensive care, go to intensivecarehotline.com. Call us on one of the numbers on the top of our website or simply send us an email to [email protected].

Also, have a look at our membership for families in intensive care at intensivecaresupport.org. where we advise daily.

If you need a medical record review for your loved one, contact us as well and we can help you with a medical record review while your loved one is in intensive care or after intensive care if you are wondering whether there has been any medical negligence.

Now, subscribe to my YouTube channel for regular updates for families in intensive care and Intensive Care at Home, share the video with your friends and families, give it a like, click the notification bell, and comment below what you want to see next or what questions and insights you have from this video.

Thanks for watching.

This is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and I will talk to you in a few days.