Life-sustaining treatment. A legal-ethical dilemma.

The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Cruzan by Cruzan v. Harmon will have a major impact on how we will care for patients in a persistent vegetative state. Each healthcare institution will need to review its life-sustaining treatment policies to match the guidelines established by the Supreme Court. Nurse executives also need to develop strategies to manage staff morale in coping with the conflicts surrounding the issues of preservation of life, quality of life, and patient/family choice regarding treatment.