Frank and Sarah face difficult ethical and legal decisions regarding their mother Ann's care. Ann has advanced Alzheimer's disease and is no longer able to make her own medical decisions. She contracted pneumonia and is refusing to eat. The doctor recommends inserting a feeding tube but Frank and Sarah are unsure if this prolongs suffering or is in line with Ann's previous wishes. As a nurse, they would advise Frank and Sarah to consider Ann's prior expressions of her end of life values and preferences. If unknown, they should decide what is in her best interests based on her current quality of life. Legal obligations require providing medically indicated treatment but not prolonging dying. They must find the option that honors Ann while avoiding unlawful harm or neglect.

1. Ethical and Legal Issues
QUESTIONAPR 03, 2017Ethical and Legal IssuesEthical and Legal IssuesRead the following
case study and submit a 1- to 2-page essay in a Microsoft Word document using APA 6th
edition in response to the questions.Case Study:Ann is a seventy-seven-year-old
grandmother. She has one daughter and three grandchildren. Two years ago, she was
diagnosed with moderately advanced Alzheimer’s disease, which causes her to have periods
of confusion, frustration, anger, and obsessive thinking. When speaking, she is uncertain
and her speech patterns are choppy. Before her mental deterioration, Ann was a woman of
love, intelligence, and patience. Realizing they were getting older, she and her husband,
Frank, discussed their wishes should anything happen to them. She told Frank that if there
was no chance of survival, she would not want to be hooked to a breathing machine. They
never got around to filling any papers.Frank is a sweet and sensitive man. His wife’s state
frightens him. Ann’s love for him has been the focus of his life for sixty years. His urgent
desire for the best care for Ann shows his devotion and love. Their daughter, Sarah, is a
businesswoman. She is a hard worker and a good mother. She is forty-five, successful, and
intelligent. Although she loves her parents dearly, she lives ten hours away. She regrets not
seeing much of them, especially recently. Frank feels his role is to take care of Ann. He has
spent the past year with her, watching after her, cooking for her, cleaning the home, and
witnessing her deterioration. Finally, Ann is unable to walk alone safely and he finds he
must have her admitted to a long-term care facility. He calls Sarah to come and help with the
arrangements. After having Ann admitted to a local nursing home, both Frank and Sarah
remember the pleading look in Ann’s eyes as they walk away.After three weeks in the
nursing home, Ann starts to cough and run a fever. She is seen by doctors and diagnosed as
having pneumonia. She is transferred to a local hospital, where she is given intravenous
antibiotics. Although the progress of her pneumonia is halted by the antibiotics, she stops
talking and refuses to eat. The physician calls Frank to insert a feeding tube. Frank calls
Sarah to ask what to do. They wonder, Is a feeding tube equivalent to a breathing machine?
Would it be possible to allow Ann to lie there and die of starvation? Is that murder? What
would she want? What is the right thing to do? (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008).Respond to
the following:Discuss the ethical decisions you would make.Discuss the legal decisions you
would make.Explain, as a nurse, what advice would you give to Frank and Sarah.Support
your responses with examples.Cite any sources in APA format.