Hastings Kylie B
1Department of Nursing, Washburn University, Topeka, KS, USA.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2014 Feb;31(1):57-60. doi: 10.1177/1049909113481100. Epub 2013 Mar 15.
In the United States, the court-appointed guardians do not have the ability to make decisions regarding end-of-life (EOL) care for their clients. Additionally, the process of initiating EOL care measures can be slow and cumbersome, despite an existing process of getting approval for such care. This process has the potential to prolong suffering and delay imperative decisions. This article reviews the hardships that patients, court-appointed guardians, and health care staff endure while moving through the oppressive process of obtaining EOL care orders through the court. This article also proposes ways of tuning up the laws, regulations, and communications to make it easier and faster to obtain orders regarding EOL care to preserve the dignity of our patients and loved ones. "A guardianship is a legal relationship created when a person or institution named in a will or assigned by the court to take care of minor children or incompetent adults."
在美国，法院指定的监护人无权为其客户做出临终关怀方面的决策。此外，尽管启动临终关怀措施的流程已有获批程序，但该流程可能缓慢且繁琐。这一流程有可能延长痛苦并延误关键决策。本文回顾了患者、法院指定的监护人和医护人员在通过法院获取临终关怀令这一繁琐过程中所遭受的艰难困苦。本文还提出了调整法律、法规及沟通方式的方法，以便更轻松、快捷地获取临终关怀令，维护我们的患者及亲人的尊严。“监护是一种法律关系，当遗嘱中指定的人或机构，或由法院指定来照顾未成年子女或无行为能力的成年人时，监护关系即告成立。”
