Board Questions

1. True or False: It is unethical to discontinue artificial fluids and nutrition? 

a) True

b) False

ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS

1. B. False: IV fluids and/or artificial nutrition are medical therapies and if they are not in line with goals of care, can be ethically discontinued. Many practitioners and families may have difficulty with this type of decision although ethically, it is no different than discontinuing other medical therapies such as mechanical ventilation.