...The Legal and Ethical Dilemma of Physician Assisted Suicide: An Analysis: People v Kevorkian Angelia Prince Shorter University The Legal and Ethical Dilemma of Physician Assisted Suicide: An Analysis: People v Kevorkian This research was aimed at providing an analysis of the ethical and legal dilemma surrounding physician assisted suicides. The subject of physician-assisted suicide has raised many thought provoking and controversial questions. This paper will evaluate, the ethical dilemma surrounding physician assisted suicides, the case of People v. Kevorkian, the differing laws pertaining to physician assisted suicide in Michigan, Georgia, and Oregon. The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with information on the state’s most current laws regarding assisted suicide and how the case of People v. Kevorkian was a unique case involving physician-assisted suicide. The Ethical Debate of PAS In his article, Hosseini (2012), argued that physician-assisted suicide (PAS), is a moral and ethical dilemma faced by physicians, ethicists, legal experts, and others. Hosseini went on to explain that PAS is opposed by the American Medical Association (AMA) and all the US states except for Oregon. In his research, Hosseini (2012) used the case, People v. Kevorkian, as a basis to argue that although there is an ethical dilemma surrounding PAS, it was not the act alone that resulted in Dr. Kevorkian’s arrest and sentence. Hosseini posed the question in his research...
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...as physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. * Social justice is the primary form of justice, but it encompasses other types of justice such as commutative, restorative, distributive, and contributive. * The four types of social justice are significant as they cover all the human entitlements. The social work department incorporates human rights in the creation and implementation of policies dealing with end of life decisions. * Euthanasia has evolved to become an important ethical concern especially for the elderly. * Many individuals in the recent times have changed their outlook regarding the issue of physically assisted death. Main ethical concerns * Euthanasia is a Greek word, which implies a ‘good death.’ * In the contemporary world, euthanasia is the compassionate activity of ending the life of a terminally ill patient. * Conversely, physician-assisted death occurs when a doctor provides the means of suicide to a patient who has chosen to end their life. * There are two categories of euthanasia, which are active and passive. * Active euthanasia involves the activity by a physician to fasten the death process such as administering of a lethal injection. * Passive euthanasia involves the behavior of withholding the essential care that leads to survival such as refusing to administer the necessary medications. * Active and passive euthanasia can either be voluntary, involuntary or non-voluntary. What ethical theories...
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...non-voluntary, patients unable to consent. Euthanasia can have great impact on the society. It affects everyone one way or another. Although a person has autonomy to make decisions about his end of life care doesn’t take away from the fact that their family and friends will be affected with guilt, anger and bitterness. Voluntary euthanasia can hamper efforts to advance medical research in finding cures for diseases (Saunders, 2011). As the nurse taking care of a terminally ill patient, the husband confides in you that he promised his dying wife that he would assist her in taking her own life when the pain became more than she could bear. The ethical dilemma for this nurse is does she keep this information to herself or does she report this to the correct authority. There are four fundamental principles that should be used to guide ethical judgments. These include...
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...Running head: ANALYSIS OF AN ETHICAL DILEMMA Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Felicia Aigbe, Grand Canyon University NRS 437V March 01, 2012 Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma The neighbor/friend I interview is Rosa Manzanares, who work in a non-profit organization as a social security for elderly whom I interview in person to share her philosophy and worldview in relation to Voluntary/Assisted suicide. You must have heard of the word “Voluntary or Assisted suicide” what is your worldview? In my opinion, she said life is a gift from God, and she has no right to do what pleases to her. She believes a person will die when God says it is time and there is no going back. As a Christian, is against her moral and religious background to take her own life or to tell someone to Assist her. No one, no matter how hopeless the situation is even as a choice for some people but for me nobody has the right to kill or assist someone to die. The reason for euthanasia is to relieve the individual from pain and suffering. What do you think about that? For me I do not think doctors should participate in assisted suicide because is against their Hippocratic Oaths, “I will not give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect or in forswearing the giving of poison when asked for it”. The American College of Physicians and American Society of Internal Medicine do not support or encourage physician to assist suicide (ACP-ASIM,...
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...Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Part 1 Grand Canyon University April 26, 2013 Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Part 1 Voluntary and assisted euthanasia have been and will continue to be one of the most controversial ethical debates in the medical field. Euthanasia stems from the Greek language: eu meaning good and thanatos meaning death. The practice of voluntary euthanasia is when the patient requests to die but someone else has to perform the act, for example removing the patient from all life-sustaining equipment or giving a lethal injection. Where as the definition of assisted suicide is a physician prescribes a lethal dose of medication and the patient on his or her own will have to perform the act of consuming the medication to cause death. There are many ethical implications that arise from either option. “In the balance are crucial issues: personal autonomy, dignity, compassion, ending suffering, protection of the vulnerable, promotion of good palliative care, and redefinition of the role of the physician in death and dying” (Van Norman, (2012). It is imperative for nurses to be conscious of their obligations professionally, educated on the laws surrounding the issue, who the stakeholders involved are, the impact on social values/morals, and the ethical theories and principals involved. Nursing Obligation According to the American Nurses Association nurses are never allowed to have any part in euthanasia, such actions would be a direct violation of the...
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...Medical Euthanasia Rick Slaven – Ethical Dilemma Case Study EDLC 702 “They were all doctors.” – Auschwitz survivor “I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.” This is the third line of the Hippocratic Oath in its second English translation. This Oath, commonly attributed to Hippocrates, is the binding document that requires physicians to practice medicine honestly and to uphold a number of professional ethical standards. (Miles, 2005) From early times, the medical profession has had a strong commitment to ethical behavior in professional practice. In modern times, physicians argue that” the Hippocratic Oath is inadequate to address the realities of a medical world that has witnessed huge scientific, economic, political, and social changes, a world of legalized abortion, physician-assisted suicide, and pestilences unheard of in Hippocrates' time.” (Tyson, n.d.) The Declaration of Geneva was adopted by the General Assembly of the World Medical Association at Geneva in 1948. It was felt that the Hippocratic Oath needed some modernization of the humanistic goals of medicine in lieu of the tragedies experienced in World War II. The precepts of the Oath of Geneva include this sentence, I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity; the health of my patient will be my first consideration. Euthanasia, also known as assisted suicide, physician-assisted suicide and more loosely termed...
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...Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Grand Canyon University Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Euthanasia is considered “assisted suicide” (Ethical key issues- Euthanasia., 2011). Terminally ill, old age, and poor disease prognosis’s are some population of patients that research euthanasia. Euthanasia is currently illegal due to many ethical implications. Euthanasia is an ongoing ethical dilemma that affects nursing as a profession, has legal implications, and stirs up ethical debates over social values, morals, and norms. “Standard 7, under the heading “Standards of Professional Performance,” reiterates the moral obligation of the nurse to practice ethically and to provide care “in a manner that preserves and protects healthcare consumer autonomy, dignity, rights, values, and beliefs” and “assists healthcare consumers in self determination and informed decision-making”” (ANA position statement, 2013). Nurses in all healthcare related settings play a key role in patient care at end-of –life. Nurses’ care for the physical and spiritual needs of patients and their families while, also collaborating with all members of the interprofessional healthcare team. Nurses witness the devastating effects of life-threatening diseases. It is difficult to balance amongst saving a life and the enabling of a dignified death. Nurses need to keep their own feelings in check because they could have an influence on clinical decision making. “It is within the framework of the Code for Nurses and...
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...The Right to Death: Advocating for the Patient’s Right Kristine Bisceglia N176 Saddleback College The Right to Death: Advocating for the Patient’s Right As new graduate nurses we are going to be presented with many new challenges while working in the hospital and as we transition into this role of “nurse” instead of “student nurse”, we will be actively learning how to manage our time, our patient load and what it truly means to be an advocate for our patient’s rights. One challenge that we all are going to face for the first time is learning how to accommodate a dying patient and their wishes. The challenge isn’t just about providing care but also how to handle the patient’s family and even our own possible opposing beliefs. First, we are going to have to understand difference and what our ethical obligations are when we are faced with questions and situations pertaining to end of life decisions. An advance directive allows a competent adult to make the decision about their end of life care and this is acknowledged in a formal document known as a living will. The document will include; an individual the patient has chosen to make decisions for them if they become incompetent or incapacitated to make decisions on their own, stipulations on what is acceptable care and treatments and procedures that are not to be implemented as well as authorization for the patient’s physician to withhold or discontinue certain life-sustaining procedures under specific conditions (Cherry...
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...Seminar 5 First Draft – Physician Assisted Suicide INTRODUCTION In my term paper I am going to be answering the question is Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS) ethically justified? The debate on Physician-Assisted Suicide has been a topic of debate for many years. Born and raised in Michigan I remember all of the news on Dr. Jack Kevorkian assisting terminally ill patients in their death and the controversy on it. The dilemma is whether or not a physician should be allowed to assist a person in ending their life even if they are terminally ill. According to a recent article on The New York Times website, New Mexico just legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide for terminally ill patients. This ruling would make New Mexico the fifth state to allow physicians to prescribe to their terminally ill patients a fatal dose of medications to end their life (Eckholm, 2014). Proponents of Physician-Assisted Suicide believe that terminally ill people should have the right to choose go to the doctors and ask for their help to end their lives and stop their suffering. Of course there would have to be certain steps taken to make sure they were making the right choice. Many supporters of Physician-Assisted Suicide believe that there should be some psychiatric evaluation to make sure that the patient is of a sound mind in their decision to end their life. Opponents of Physician-Assisted Suicide believe that a person does not have a right to end their own life and that it goes against...
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...End of Life: Assisted Suicide PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning Instructor: Shawn Lorenzen September 29, 2014 Moral and ethical debates attempted to resolves controversial issues but never seem to end with everyone agreeing. Often these ethical and moral debates are complex, involve opinions persuaded by religion or customs, and have legal implications to consider. Physician assisted death is one of these very complex and controversial issues that all people will never agree on. Many questions arise in the debate of physician assisted death such as patients’ rights, physicians controlling the right if someone lives or dies, a patience’s mental state, a family member’s rights, religious beliefs of the parties involved and the law. Philosophers attempt to explain the different theories that people will use to argue their belief systems in terms of logic and reasoning. For example, some people may take the position of a deontologist who would argue that it is our moral duty to support and sustain life therefore assisted suicide should not be allowed. Unfortunately, this very emotional thought provoking debate is not a “black and white issue,” as most ethical arguments are not. In the situation of physician-assisted death, I disagree with the deontologist point of view that it is immoral for a physician to assist a patient in suicide. I believe as some relativist due, that as long as the patient is fully capable of making this decision and the patient is in a constant state...
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...use the method of ethical decision making: a) What are the dimensions of the ethical dilemma? b) What are the issues? c) Apply the four core ethical principles and the process of ethical decision making. There are many complex ethical issues that can affect patients and families in the health care setting. One of which is end of life care. Decision making in terminal care is a demanding and stressful duty for all involved that can take place in any setting in which patients die in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and at home. For people reaching and the end of life, continuing to suffer may appear worse than death. The suffering can be so great that the option of ending one’s life through either euthanasia or physician assisted suicide may appear to be a reasonable and merciful choice. “Euthanasia is an act where a third party, usually implied to be a physician, terminates the life of a person; either passively or actively. 14 Euthanasia is also defined as “the mercy killing of the hopelessly ill, injured or incapacitated.” (Athar, 2006). Active euthanasia requires performing some action that terminates the life of a person. An example of an active euthanasia intervention would be a situation where a physician would inject a patient with a lethal dose of a drug.14 In cases of voluntary, active euthanasia, a competent patient who wishes to avoid suffering and a slow dying process asks a physician to terminate his or her life. The concept of “death with dignity” or allowing...
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...Assisted Suicide Letithia Terry PHI103: Informal Logic Kurt Mosser June 6, 2011 Assisted Suicide Assisted Suicide is when the physician provides the necessary means or information and the patient performs the act. Euthanasia is where the physician performs the intervention defined as the “act of bringing about the death of a hopelessly ill and suffering person in a relatively quick and painless way for reason of mercy (as cited in Mosser 2010). Physician Assisted Suicide has grown to be a controversial issue and one of the major disputes is; can an incurable ill patient be able to choose Physician assisted suicide? This phenomenal dilemma has risen debates on rather to legalize PAS or keep it illegal because of the different issues concerning the different religion, moral and ethical views people have on the topic. In this essay I will discuss issues of why many people and I believe assisted suicide should be legalized. There are different laws around the world concerning physician assisted suicide and only a few states that has legalized the procedure. In 2005, there were only four places in the world that open and legally authorize assistance in dying patients: “Oregon (since l997, physician-assisted suicide only); Switzerland (1941, physician and non-physician assisted suicide only); Belgium (2002, permits 'euthanasia' but does not define the method and the Netherlands (voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide...
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...Nicole Spates HLT-305 Magdeline Chornick 2 -11- 2015 Dear Mrs. Johnson , During your last visit we discussed the prognosis for your advanced breast cancer diagnosis and the reality that all treatment options have been exhausted. During our discussion your major concern was that you felt your pain is no longer completely controlled and you were only living to die. At that time you expressed a desire to travel to Holland and participate in its physician- assisted suicide program. As your primary care doctor and oncologist for the past fifteen years I am very empathetic and very concerned not only with your physical health but your emotional health and experiences as well. Even though we have exhausted all therapeutic treatment options; I would really like for you consider hospice care here in the United States. Because I truly believe that hospice care can provide comfort and support to you, family, and friends. Hospice care is designed for those who are nearing the end of life. All care services are provided by a team of health care professionals who maximize comfort for a terminally ill patients by reducing pain and addressing physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. To help families, hospice care also provides counseling, respite care and practical support. You are considering traveling to another country to end your life but if decide to stay here hospice gives you the option to receive this care in your home. In addition to hospice care...
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...Euthanasia and Death with Dignity Euthanasia is an ethical decision making dilemma that borders on the philosophical and shakes the foundations of nursing beliefs in patient autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence. It is an ugly concept for which many cringe and shy away from. It must be differentiated between the concepts of willfully causing death versus restraint from aggressive medical treatment when such procedures would cause no change in the outcome of the illness. This is sometimes referred to as death with dignity or palliative care, which is the “relief from pain and other distressing symptoms…” and “intends neither to hasten nor postpone death” (World Health Organization, 2011). This is the premise we intend to deconstruct. Euthantos, Greek for “good death”, translated as euthanasia in modern terms (Zerwekh, 2005), is commonly mistaken as the willful cause of death in persons unable to make decisions such as those with mental illness or defect. In actuality, there are different types of euthanasia; passive euthanasia, the hastening death by an act, or lack thereof, and voluntary/active euthanasia, known as physician assisted suicide. The nursing code of ethics forces us to take no part in actively ending a life, but where is the line drawn in accepting a patients wish to refrain from live saving measurements? Patients who wish to die with dignity should be afforded the right to determine their course of treatment and practitioners, at the very least, should respect...
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...Running head: ANALYSIS OF AN ETHICAL DILEMMA Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma NRS 437V December 11, 2011 Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Euthanasia, sometimes referred to as mercy killing, is an act by a third party that causes a patient’s death. Such acts include administering a lethal dose of medication by way of injection or mask, usually to a seriously ill patient. This analysis will discuss the ethics of euthanasia as it relates to nursing, laws, society, and the stakeholders involved in the scenario. The American Nurses Association (ANA) believes that the nurse should not participate in Active euthanasia because such an act is in direct violation of the Code for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, the ethical traditions and goals of the profession, and its covenant with society. (Task Force on the Nurse's Role in End-of-Life Decisions, 2011) While patient advocates should be vigilant for providing diligent care, they should perform their tasks with respect, support and due commitment towards their care. In healthcare practice, in order to relieve pain and suffering, there is an obligation to promote dignity and autonomy of patients. Euthanasia is a complex issue in which nurses are uncomfortable determining the life and death of a patient. Nurses have to practice ethical principles of beneficence, which maximize benefit and reduce potential risk and harm to the patient. Non-malfeasance is another ethical issue in which a nurse should do no harm. A competent...
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