assignment # 6

You have a patient whose religious belief does not allow blood transfusion. In your medical opinion the patient will die if he or she is not given a blood transfusion. What will you do?

The question is not so much as what will you do but will you do it? Afterall, as the physician, you can actually "have your way" in order to save the patient. But the patient's decision should be placed above my own because it is afterall his life in question. And also, it is stipulated in the patients' bill of rights that they can refuse medical treatment. However, the patient should be duly informed of the consequences of his decision. This is not to say that I am "washing the responsibility off my hands" but I would let the patient sign a waiver stating his refusal of the treatment and the knowledge of possible outcomes of his actions to avoid any legal implications of neglect as most malpractice suits are made of. It pains me to have a patient in my care die but if it is his decision to refuse the only life-saving intervention available, then his life is out of my hands.