BROWSE CASES BY TOPIC
Displaying: Treatment Decisions
Mr Yap
This case concerns a man who has worsening pulmonary disease and who cares for his wife, who has mild dementia. How should his son, Alex, respond to the needs of his parents?
Mdm Cho
This case concerns a woman with advanced dementia who is cared for by Smita, a foreign domestic worker, under the supervision of Serena, Mdm Cho’s daughter. When Mdm Cho begins to choke and spit during Smita’s attempts to feed her, … Continue reading
Ms Yeo
This case concerns the director of nursing at a nursing home, who convenes a staff meeting to talk about a common problem. What should staff do, and refrain from doing, when a resident with dementia hits another person?
Baby Arun
This case concerns an extremely premature, critically-ill newborn. It explores prognostic uncertainty in the neonatal ICU setting, and the challenge of communicating frequently-changing medical information while providing support to the baby’s parents and other concerned relatives.
Faizal
This case concerns an undergraduate whose traumatic brain injury results in locked-in syndrome. His doctors, nurses, and home carers must meet the challenges of understanding his wishes, while coping with repeated hospitalisations.
Lina
This case concerns an adolescent with recurrent leukaemia, and physician-parent conflicts over her treatment plan. It explores the rights of the adolescent patient and the possibility, consequences and ethics of seeking judicial intervention in the best interests of a child.
Mrs Kuan
This case concerns a middle-aged professional and parent with metastatic cancer for whom potentially beneficial, highly expensive treatment has failed. It explores clinical uncertainty over how to discuss the goals of care when few options for effective treatment exist.
Mr Bok
This case concerns a middle-aged professional and single parent whose multiple health problems are exacerbated by his smoking and alcohol use, and who is viewed as a ‘difficult’ patient by hospital and clinic providers. The patient’s health problems could be … Continue reading
Mdm Lee
This case concerns an elderly nursing home resident with advanced Alzheimer’s disease who, while she was competent, completed an advance care plan that documented her explicit refusal of artificial nutrition and hydration. Confusion and family conflict arise after a staff … Continue reading
Mr Yung
This case concerns a middle-aged professional and parent in a minimally-conscious state, his wife’s emotional and practical challenges in making decisions on behalf of her catastrophically injured spouse, family conflict, and the responsibilities of the healthcare team.
