What do we need to decide about ventilators?

Ventilators push air and oxygen into the lungs and often extend lives. Ask the doctor about situations in which a ventilator would be useful, and situations in which it should not be used. Be sure the doctor knows what your loved one wants, and will respect those choices.

As with other end-of-life decisions, this one is complex because of the emotional issues raised by stopping a ventilator or refusing treatment with a ventilator. Remember that it is your loved one's right to decide to forgo all use of a ventilator or to have a time-limited trial with a planned withdrawal if there is no improvement. You can state your wishes regarding use of ventilators as part of an advance care plan.