A woman enters the emergency room with stomach pain. She undergoes a CT scan and is diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm, and the physicians inform her that the only way to fix the problem is surgically and that the chances of survival are about 50/50. They also inform her that time is of the essence, and that should the aneurysm burst, she would be dead in a few short minutes. The woman is worried about her chances and she refuses any surgical treatment. Even after much pressure from the physicians, she adamantly refuses surgery. Feeling that the woman is not in her correct state of mind and knowing that time is of the essence, the surgeons decide to perform the procedure without consent. They anesthetize her and surgically repair the aneurysm. She survives and sues the hospital for millions of dollars.
1) Do you believe that the physician's actions can be justified in any way?
2) Is it ever right to take away someone's decision about their own healthcare?
3) What would you do if you were one of the healthcare workers?
