'To be or not to be'- An ethical debate on the not-for-resuscitation (NFR) status of a stroke patient

Abstract

• Nursing has been described as a moral endeavour (Seedhouse, 1988; Berger et al., 1991), the art of dealing with ethical issues of right and wrong. • Within the nursing literature, ethical issues are a major topic for discussion. Berger et al. (1991) explain that this reflects larger societal concerns about ethics in business, industry and government. • The development of advanced technology and life-sustaining treatments such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has heightened the dilemmas of moral decision making. CPR was developed in the 1960s as an emergency life-saving procedure, although it is currently used on anyone who does not have a not-for-resuscitation status (Anon., 1980). • In this paper, an ethical issue involving the decision of whether or not to resuscitate a stroke patient is discussed. An overview of the main ethical theories is presented because they provide a framework for an explication of ethical decision-making. The options available to those involved are then discussed in relation to relevant research. Finally, a conclusion is drawn from the ensuing situation. © 1997 Blackwell Science Ltd.