You are the new director of risk management at Little Falls Hospital, which is a 450-bed tertiary care facility in a major urban area in the Northeast. The hospital is an integrated health system that provides the full array of inpatient and outpatient services. The hospital enjoys a reputation for quality care in the area.

As the new risk manager, you have been briefed about a patient care case that needs your attention.

• The patient is a 45-year-old woman, Lydia, who is currently paralyzed and can only communicate through head nods as a result of a car accident over 6 months ago.
• The patient is currently on a ventilator for respiratory assistance and receives tube feedings.
• The professionals in the hospital are uncertain as to whether the patient is capable of understanding information and making her own decisions.
• It is reported that the patient has an advance directive, but no one has been able to secure a copy of the document.

You have been asked by Felicia Larue, the hospital CEO, to give a briefing on the patient situation and alternative actions that may be taken by the hospital to ensure that the rights of the patients are preserved and the risks to the hospital are minimized. Discuss the important components of this case, the laws that may have an impact on this case, and alternative courses of action that the hospital may pursue to satisfy the parties that are involved with the scenario. The strategies and recommendations should be as specific as possible and include the resources needed for implementation. Your primary text and journal and website research must be used as a reference to support your analysis.