The relatives in this case state that they know the woman's wishes, and they have her regular health care provider to back their statement. Thus, it seems in the case that the on-call physician would not be in error, should he remove the support of the ventilator.
What other measures could have been placed to assure the patient's wishes were honored?
Instead of merely giving proxy to the woman's relatives, a Living Will specifying the terms that were acceptable to the woman for life support would have enabled her to put her feelings in writing when she was still functioning as an autonomous individual, and capable of making her own decisions. "Of all the various acceptable forms of evidence, a health care declaration (often called a 'Living Will') can be the best. It simply documents a person's wishes concerning treatment when those wishes can no longer be personally communicated" (Freer, 1994). In some states, like New York State, there are specific laws regarding DNR (Do Not Resuscitate Orders) that might need clarification.
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders...apply only...
Briefly, if while you are in a hospital your heart stops beating and you stop breathing, a team will immediately attempt to restore normal heartbeat (resuscitation) and breathing. This attempt will happen automatically unless such treatment is refused in advance. The issuance of a DNR order is the method prescribed by law for such a refusal" (Freer, 1994). Because no such orders were made, this law might have been the concern of the paramedics, if the scenario took place within a state that required such a specific order.
Works Cited
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Sample Form. (2007).
University of Michigan Medical School. Retrieved 1 Mar 2007. http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/aha/umlegal02.htm
Freer, Jack. (1994) the Living Will: A Guide to Health Care Decision Making."
SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Retrieved 1 Mar 2007. http://wings.buffalo.edu/faculty/research/bioethics/lwill.html
