Some advice - LIS or VS

[misnome4]

I'm an amateur screen-writer, working on a horror script for a small indie producer. The main character is a cognitive psychologist. (Lucky me)

The dramatic requirement of the opening sequence is a life-or-death scenario involving a patient with a serious disorder of consciousness. The main character, (through mis-diagnosis, failure to intervene, lack of confidence) fails to save a patient.

My first thought is a Locked-In Syndrome vs Vegetative State scenario, and a debate over whether nutritional support is withdrawn, but this strikes me as melodramatic.

Can anyone give me some pointers?

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[psych.meout]

I'm an amateur screen-writer, working on a horror script for a small indie producer. The main character is a cognitive psychologist. (Lucky me)

The dramatic requirement of the opening sequence is a life-or-death scenario involving a patient with a serious disorder of consciousness. The main character, (through mis-diagnosis, failure to intervene, lack of confidence) fails to save a patient.

My first thought is a Locked-In Syndrome vs Vegetative State scenario, and a debate over whether nutritional support is withdrawn, but this strikes me as melodramatic.

Can anyone give me some pointers?

Maybe Google what a cognitive psychologist is?

 

[foreverbull]

What you're discussing seems to be outside of the realm of psychology and would fall under the jurisdiction of a medical doctor. You might try the other MD-related forums for more specific feedback?

 

[PsyDr]

1) you mean a clinical neuropsychologist. Cognitive psychologists are strictly academic and do not see patients.

2) Neither of those scenarios are likely. Less likely in locked in syndrome. Persistent vegetative state is along a continuum, and patients are regularly sorta awake. The decision to remove hydration is not made by looking at someone. Eegs, Mris, caloric tests, etc are all used. It's not something that would be missed. There are professional guidelines for this, and medical ethics committees are regularly involved.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Related to the above posts, the psychologist/neuropsychologist isn't going to be the one who medically intervenes, unless that entails alerting the medical staff if something seemingly emergent happens when they're meeting with the patient. The psychologist/neuropsychologist may be involved in discussing the wishes of the patient RE: consent to/rejection of some type of treatment, particularly if capacity is in question.

As was mentioned, I wouldn't see there being much of a debate about withdrawing support for a locked-in-syndrome patient. But the psychologist/neuropsychologist might be involved in determining if that patient is, say, depressed.