The Importance of Having an Advance Health Care Directive
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This video portrays the tragic and true story of Robert Wendland and his family. His truck accident produced severe brain damage requiring tube feeding. After many months his wife and teenage daughter decided to remove the tube, which they felt was contrary to his expressed, but not written, wishes. The mother opposed the wife in court and won. The case was appealed to the California Supreme Court and was heard one month after the patient died of pneumonia. The High Court agreed with the mother on the grounds that there was no "clear and convincing evidence" that Robert would have wanted the tube removed. The families fought bitter court battles. On the tape the lawyers, doctors and ethicists involved in this case are interviewed and are unanimous in their view that a written Advance Directive by Robert would probably have spared him and his family from 8 years of suffering.
The video is meant chiefly for lay audiences (including young adults) as a 15-minute stimulus to further discussions about advance directives. Presentation by hospital ethics committees and nurse educators has brought enthusiastic reviews.
To read more about the Wendland Case, visit http://www.finalchoices.calhealth.org/advance_directive.htm
- Produced by : Center for Humane and Ethical Medical Care (CHEC√), Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center
- Edited by: Arthur U. Rivin, M.D., Emeritus Professor of Medicine, UCLA; Chairman, Center for Humane and Ethical Medical Care (CHEC√ )
- Directed by: Jennifer Rodes, Klic Production
