Article Text
Case report
A morbid reason for consent
Abstract
We report the case of a recently bereaved elderly lady admitted on the acute surgical take who gave consent for emergency surgery in the hope of dying intraoperatively. To her dismay she survived and, thereafter, refused all food and medical intervention leading to her death 15 days later. This case highlights concerns regarding both the process of consent following emergency admission and failure to identify a vulnerable patient's wishes.
- Bereavement
- Clinical assessment
- Clinical decisions
- Communication
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