My Mom's episode of dehydration (first one at the nh) will continue therefore the doctor says I make a decision fast whether or not to insert a feeding tube. Yesterday, she went to hospital for dehydration (her first week at this nursing home). Today he is telling me that i have to make a decision stat regarding feeding tube. Any advice?
Does your mother have an advance healthcare directive in which she stated what her wishes were regarding a feeding tube? If so, her wishes should be carried out.
Were you able to visit her to determine if she was drinking and eating consistent with her habits before entering the nursing home?
The fact that this doctor is so anxious to insert a feeding tube after only treating your mother on a limited basis, that he's probably contracted with the nursing home, and presumably hasn't seen your mother before, make me suspicious of his advice and intentions.
Ask the hospital doctors what they think, advice on keeping her hydrated, and what purpose, if any, a feeding tube would serve.
We've had some bad experiences with nursing home doctors and I take their advice gingerly.
f she became dehydrated after entering the nursing home, to me that suggests that whatever happened start