To have done everything

Abstract

When a patient loses decisional capacity, the responsibility to make treatment decisions often falls on a family member who becomes the surrogate decision-maker. This case study provides an example of a situation where the medical team and the surrogate decision-maker initially disagreed on the best course of action for the patient. The ethicist was called in to lead a guided conversation to help the team and the surrogate decision-maker reach a consensus. This case illustrates the importance of allowing the surrogate decision-maker to ask clarifying questions and process their emotions before making a decision.