"The Patient Is Being Pressured!" Coercion Versus Relational Autonomy.

Relational autonomy is a concept that describes the interdependent nature of decision making by individuals. Relational autonomy is distinct from the traditional concept of autonomy, which asserts the need for each individual to make choices based on their own values and without influence by others. We present a case in which a patient made decisions that appeared contrary to his own desires.

Withholding the Heimlich Maneuver: Ethical Considerations.

The topic of withholding the Heimlich maneuver as part of a do-not-attempt-to-resuscitate (DNAR) order or an advance directive has not been widely discussed in the clinical ethics literature. This discussion addresses a request by family members to withhold the Heimlich maneuver from a patient in a long-term care facility. A request to forgo the Heimlich maneuver seems to have prima facie categorical similarities to justifications for withholding life-saving treatments such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).