Florida National University When Parents Refuse to Give Up Case Study

When Parents Refuse to Give Up

Nine-year-old Yusef Camp began experiencing symptoms soon after eating a pickle boughtfrom a street vendor. He felt dizzy and fell down, he could not use his legs, and he beganto scream. By 10:00 p.m., he was hallucinating and was transported to the DC GeneralHospital by ambulance. He went into convulsions. His stomach was pumped, and theyfound traces of marijuana and possibly PCP. He soon stopped breathing, and by the nextmorning, brain scans showed no activity.Four months later, Yusef’s condition had not changed. The physicians believed his brainwas not functioning and wanted to pronounce him dead based on brain criteria. Severaldifficulties were encountered, however. First, there was some disagreement among themedical personnel over whether his brain function had ceased completely. Second, at thattime the District of Columbia had no law authorizing death pronouncement based onbrain criteria. It was not clear that physicians could use death as grounds for stoppingtreatment. Most important, Ronald Camp, the boy’s father, protested vigorously any suggestion that treatment be stopped. A devout Muslim, he said, “I could walk up and sayunplug him; but for the rest of my life I would be thinking, was I too hasty? Could he haverecovered if I had given it another 6 months or a year? I’m leaving it in Almighty God’shand to let it take whatever flow it will.”The nurses involved in Yusef’s care faced several problems. Maggots were foundgrowing in Yusef’s lungs and nasal passages. His right foot and ankle became gangrenous. He showed no response to noises or painful stimuli. The nurses had the responsibility not only for maintaining the respiratory tract and the gangrenous limb, but also forproviding the intensive nursing care needed to maintain Yusef in debilitated conditionon life support systems. Had the aggressive care been serving any purpose, they wouldhave been willing to provide it no matter how repulsive the boy’s condition was and inspite of there being many other patients desperately needing their attention. However,some of the nurses caring for Yusef were convinced that they were doing no good whatsoever for the boy. They believed they were only consuming enormous amounts of timeand hospital resources in what appeared to be a futile effort. In the process, otherpatients were not getting as much care as would certainly be of benefit to them.

Couldthe nurses or the physicians argue that care should be stopped because he was dead?

Could they overrule the parents’ judgment about the usefulness of the treatment evenif he were not dead?

Could they legitimately take into account the welfare of the otherpatients and the enormous costs involved when deciding whether to limit their attention to Yusef?

Weiser, B. (1980, September 5). Boy, 9, may not be “brain dead,” new medical examinershows. Washington Post, p. B1. Weiser, B. (1980, September 12). Second doctor finds life in“brain dead” DC boy. Washington Post, p. B10. Sager, M. (1980, September 17). Nine-year-olddies after four months in coma. Washington Post, p. B6.

answer the three questions at the end of the case.

Your paper should be in APA 6th edition format and should answer all three questions completely with rationale and literature support. Each new heading will depict the question being answered. Your paper should be within 4-6 pages, not including your cover page and references page. You will be required to provide and use a minimum of 3 peer reviewed references, with the oldest being from 2015.