Farnalls M
Foothills Hospital, Calgary, Alberta.
Off J Can Assoc Crit Care Nurs. 1997 Fall;8(3):23-6.
The following article consists of a review of the literature surrounding the issue of persistent vegetative state (PVS) patients and resource allocation. The author attempts to analyze the question: Should limited critical care resources be used on PVS patients at the risk of denying those resources to others? The author explores such factors as: prognosis and recovery in PVS, life expectancy, and quality of life. As well, resource availability and ICU costs involved in sustaining the life of a PVS patient are examined. Finally, principles such as non-maleficence and beneficence; as well as the critical care professionals attitudes toward this issue; and the moral, ethical, and emotional dilemmas are discussed.
以下文章是对围绕持续性植物状态（PVS）患者及资源分配问题的文献综述。作者试图分析这样一个问题：有限的重症监护资源是否应用于PVS患者，而这可能会使其他患者无法获得这些资源？作者探讨了诸如以下因素：PVS的预后与康复、预期寿命以及生活质量。此外，还研究了维持PVS患者生命所需的资源可用性及重症监护病房成本。最后，讨论了诸如不伤害原则和有益原则；以及重症监护专业人员对此问题的态度；还有道德、伦理和情感困境。
