Nurse Emerson We are dealing in an area of uncertainty. An area where there are no rules, contradictory laws and no clear social consensus as to what should be done. And the cost of care for the chronic patient has become prohibitive. This is particularly the case with the long-term comatose patient. The Jefferson Institute is a government- sponsored experimental facility designed to provide quality life support to the comatose patient. I wish to emphasize no moral or ethical position is being taken here. We do not participate in the debate over whether these patients are alive or dead or whether their care should be continued or terminated. Society will decide if there will be more of these facilities or not. In the meantime, we merely provide care as inexpensively as possible.
