1. Ethically, is brain death not as final as cardiac death? Why or why not?
Ethnically brain dead is not as final as cardiac arrest, because when a person becomes brain dead they can be put on life support to keep their bodies functioning. Also with the term brain dead it doesn’t mean that all of the brain isn’t functioning. Some parts of the brain may be functioning just not the parts needed to function normally, which in my opinion the person is still living. With Cardiac arrest the hears stops suddenly, which ultimately causes definite death unless that person can get to a defibrillator in the short moments before the hearts stops completely.
2. How does the Prudent Person Rule apply
in this case?
The prudent person rule applies in this case because if the 8th grader and her parents possibly knew about the risks that come with the procedure as well ass if there was an alternative treatment then the young girl may not have been in that situation. Also with the prudent person rule the doctor should have informed the patient what could possibly happen if she didn’t get her tonsils removed, would it cause big problems in the future, or would she be able to have function normally.
3. In your opinion, could this tragedy have been prevented? If so, how?
In my opinion this tragedy could have been prevented. The young girl should have gotten a thorough examination to make sure all of her vitals where in good shape and that she didn’t have a reaction to any of the medicine that where used during the surgery. She should have been monitored after her surgery as though she had a heart transplant although the surgery wasn’t as serious, because you never know what may happen after a surgery.