Abstract
The purpose of this article is to take a closer at look at ethical concerns that respiratory therapists face while performing terminal weaning procedures on ventilator patients. The article explains the process of removing assistive ventilation and why terminal weaning is preferred over terminal extubation. It explains why patients with brain death are easier to terminal wean from an ethical perspective. The paper provides a critical analysis of the ethical issues using the four method approach to health care ethics which includes: beneficence and nonmaleficence, patient preference, quality of life, and contextual features. The biggest obstacle therapists struggle with overcoming is moral and religious concerns regarding removal of life support. The findings showed that although terminal weaning is a highly stressful job requirement for respiratory therapists, there are protocols and procedures that the employing health care facility can offer to help alleviate some of the associated stress and improve on the situation.
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