Who Woke the Sleeping Firefighter?

Date

2010

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Estate Planning & Community Property Law Journal

Abstract

This comment first discusses Do Not Resuscitate Orders (DNR) and then explores the rights and responsibilities guardians have over wards. In particular, the comment focuses on who makes the decisions if the ward is in a public guardianship program. Additionally, the comment discusses the controversial debate over what it means to be “dead” and who makes the ultimate decision when medical experts, family, guardians, and judges are all part of the decision. Health care reform since 2006 has shown that the general public does not like the idea of the federal government deciding life and death questions for citizens. This makes a public guardianship controversial especially when considering who has the right to end an individual’s life. Finally, the comment uses personal history to analyze several ways that doctors and other health care reformers are attempting to discuss end of life care with patients in ways that both positively and negatively affects a patient. The comment ends with excitement that such discussions are happening at a societal level.

Description

Keywords

Death, Do not resuscitate order, DNR, Medical ethics, Federal Government, Public guardianship program, Guardianship, Health care reform, Ward

Citation

2 EST. PLAN. & COMMUNITY PROP. L.J. 275