Ms. Adams agrees to honor Mrs. Stein's decision to withhold antibiotics once she realizes that the decision is based on Mrs. Stein's understanding of what her husband would want if he were able to choose.
The antibiotics are stopped, and Dr. Miles informs Mrs. Stein about the outcome of the conversation between herself and Ms. Adams.
The three of them arrange a time to meet later that day to discuss the plan for Mr. Stein's care. During their meeting, Mrs. Stein expresses her appreciation for the good care Ms. Adams has provided for her husband. She also explains how she reached the decision to withhold antibiotics.
The conversation helps all three focus on the goal of keeping Mr. Stein as comfortable as possible without treating his pneumonia. They determine and document the types of care to be provided or not provided.
According to Mrs. Stein's wishes, Ms. Adams and the other staff at the skilled nursing facility continue to provide comfort care for Mr. Stein. Over the following two weeks, Mr. Stein's condition deteriorates and he dies.
© 2016 University of Washington | School of Nursing | L&IT Learning Technologies | Palliative Care Training Center | National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1R21NR010896-02A2.
