PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - C Gannon
TI  - A request for hospice admission from hospital to withdraw ventilation
AID  - 10.1136/jme.2004.010777
DP  - 2005 Jul 01
TA  - Journal of Medical Ethics
PG  - 383--384
VI  - 31
IP  - 7
4099  - http://jme.bmj.com/content/31/7/383.short
4100  - http://jme.bmj.com/content/31/7/383.full
SO  - J Med Ethics2005 Jul 01; 31
AB  - A request to admit a hospital inpatient with motor neurone disease to the hospice generated unusual unease. Significantly, withdrawal of ventilation had already been planned. The presumption that ventilation would be withdrawn after transfer presented a dilemma. Should the hospice accept the admission? If so, should the hospice staff stop the ventilation, and then when and how? Debate centred on the continuity of best interests and the logistics of withdrawing ventilation. The factors making the request contentious identified competing interests within hospice admission decision making that could detrimentally impact on patient care.