If there is no clear advance directive and family disagreement, what is the recommended course of action?

If there is no clear advance directive and family disagreement, what is the recommended course of action?

• A. Refer to ethics committee
• B. Obtain consent from next of kin
• C. Accept physician's decision
• D. Do nothing

Answer: (A)

When there's no advance directive and the family disagrees, a formal ethics review provides a structured way to work through the dilemma. An ethics committee brings together diverse perspectives—clinicians, nurses, social workers, and sometimes legal or spiritual advisors—to examine the patient’s values as they can be inferred, the medical options, and the likely outcomes. Their role is to determine who should make decisions in the absence of a clear directive, balancing substituted judgment with the patient’s best interests, while offering a transparent, documented process. This helps mediate disagreements and ensures that actions align with professional standards and patient dignity, rather than relying on a single physician’s judgment or leaving the situation unresolved.

When there's no advance directive and the family disagrees, a formal ethics review provides a structured way to work through the dilemma. An ethics committee brings together diverse perspectives—clinicians, nurses, social workers, and sometimes legal or spiritual advisors—to examine the patient’s values as they can be inferred, the medical options, and the likely outcomes. Their role is to determine who should make decisions in the absence of a clear directive, balancing substituted judgment with the patient’s best interests, while offering a transparent, documented process. This helps mediate disagreements and ensures that actions align with professional standards and patient dignity, rather than relying on a single physician’s judgment or leaving the situation unresolved.