...Withdrawal of aid and terminal sedation are often confused with physician-assisted suicide. Physician-assisted suicide is a controversial practice which is not legally protected under the constitution, but may be allowed depending on state. Withdrawal of aid and terminal sedation are both protected under the constitution and therefore are morally acceptable. It is easy to confuse these cases, but it is important to distinguish between them when determining both the ethicality and legality of a case. In Case Study #28 “Death By Dehydration,” 67-year-old Roberta W is an unmarried female, retired teacher, and is cared by her brother and his wife. She suffers from a multitude of different ailments which confine her to bed and make her even the most basic of tasks burdensome. Roberta is weary of her circumstances and regrets being a burden on her brother and his wife, however her brother and wife do not resents her demands and needs. Roberta W expresses that she would rather be dead at one point and has a conversation with her doctor to remove a hernia. Her physician Dr. R tells her that there is a low chance she would survive the hernia surgery due to her emphysema and tells her that no responsible surgeon would operate on her. Possibly in response to Dr. R’s statement, Roberta asks Dr. R to...
Words: 1328 - Pages: 6
...that can only be prevented by the termination of life. The acceptable amount is very hard to quantify, and creates a broad gray area. Question #3. The phrase “right to die” means that a person should be able to choose to end their life on their own free will. Many people believe that it is wrong to commit suicide, while others believe the suffering is more wrong. The simple truth is that right or wrong is contested either way. It has been decriminalized in several states and countries (Boudreau 3). Question #4. No, people do not have the right to seek assistance in dying in the eyes of the law, but they should have the right to. Utilitarianism also comes into play here in more ways than one. The greater good for the person suffering is to end life. The greater good for the family is that the person lives longer and they enjoy their company (Ghillyer 6). Question #5. No, People do not have the right to give assistance in dying in the eyes of the law, but there is a gray area here also. There is a big difference in euthanasia, physician assisted suicide, and palliative sedation. In euthanasia, the doctor administers the drug to end life. In physician assisted suicide, the doctors prescribes the patient with the drug and the patient administers it on their own free...
Words: 570 - Pages: 3
...Die Assisted suicide has been and always will be a controversial dilemma not only in the United States but across the world. There are two landmark cases in the State of California that have shaped both federal and state legislation regarding the topic of assisted suicide. During the 1980’s it was Elizabeth Bouvia whom was making headlines, and, over 30 years later, the debate continues with the circumstances surrounding Brittany Maynard. This sensitive topic will likely continue be controversial, however recent legislation changes that have been adopted by the State of California may lead to the new ethical standard that may be considered to be acceptable. Elizabeth Bouvia Elizabeth Bouvia was born in 1958 and is a significant figure in the right to die...
Words: 939 - Pages: 4
...Unfortunately, new nurses are typically affected even more, with one study reporting that 72% experienced lateral violence in the past month (Castronovo, Pillizzi, & Evans, 2015), with an estimated 60% of new nurses leaving their job within the first 6 month of employment due to the toxic behavior (Embree & White, 2010). Interestingly, nurses that are newly hired are also often the target of lateral violence, as they have not yet developed friendly colleagues who could support or shield them from the bully. And while graduate nurses are the prime target, the average age for a victim is 50 (Castronovo, Pillizzi, & Evans, 2015), indicating that age is no...
Words: 1002 - Pages: 5
...November Nelson has been grieving over the death of her boyfriend Josh Prescott after a pledge stunt gone wrong. Just when she thinks that life can’t get any worse, she discovers that she is pregnant with Josh’s child. She faces the challenge of breaking the news to her mother and the Prescotts. She is faced with the biggest decision that she could ever imagine. When November finally tells her mother, she is understandably upset. November had plans to attend the Black College Tour and an academic summer program. She also had plans to attend Cornell University. Now, she knows that she has to alter her plans. After an outburst in class, November reveals that she is pregnant. It doesn’t take long for the news to get around school. November must endure whispers and criticism from her fellow students. November and her mother have a discussion about what it will take to take care of a baby. Mrs. Nelson tries to help her daughter see that she has left behind a world of having to worry about homework and washing dinner dishes to the world of motherhood. Jericho Prescott has been grieving over the death of his cousin Josh. The pain is more than he can bear and his world is divided into life “before” and “after” Josh. In order to cope, he gives up playing trumpet and decides to go out for the football team. He hopes that the physical pain will suppress his emotional pain. As Jericho faces challenges on the football field, he faces challenges in his love life. His ex-girlfriend Arielle wants...
Words: 474 - Pages: 2
...Unfortunately, in the United States, this isn’t always the case, particularly regarding the administration of life-ending medication. In 2014, terminally-ill man Joe Yourshaw, after repeatedly asking his family to assist his suicide, voluntarily drank a life-threatening amount of morphine. His daughter, Barbara Mancini, knowing her father was “very focused about his convictions of how he wanted to live” did not intervene (Cooper, 2015, p. 7). She was later arrested after a hospice care worker called the police and was charged with aiding a suicide (Cooper, 2015). Mancini, along with a large portion of the medical world, believe that the right to die is a fundamental right, as vital as the right to live. It’s unconscionable for someone to be prosecuted by the law for a choice made by another person, a choice that harmed no one but that...
Words: 699 - Pages: 3
...being considered murder. There is no jail time, life in prison, or death penalty. Believe it or not, this scenario existed in real life. This scenario describes Physician-Assisted Suicide. Physician-Assisted Suicide is currently legal in a few states. There is currently an on going debate to extend its legality to more states and eventually the entire United States. Many people each year are diagnosed with a terminal illness. They are forced to suffer and live in pain until they eventually die naturally. For some people, this could be years, even decades of suffering. This is a long time of suffering that could be avoided. Physician-Assisted Suicide helps these people. People can be put out of their pain and misery. This is highly controversial. Some believe these doctors are murderers. Others call these doctors a saving grace. This is a practice with many ethical questions. Hopefully, after research, I will be able to answer these ethical questions. There are a few other questions that I hope to answer. On being, the states allow Physician-Assisted Suicide. Also, what is New Jersey’s stand on this practice? Lastly, what are the guidelines and requirements to be eligible? As defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Physician Assisted Suicide is...
Words: 1802 - Pages: 8
...1. Euthanasia is the process of ending a life in order to relieve pain from a suffering patient. I think once if a patient’s family, or it is in their will, euthanasia must be done. Another reason it could be practiced is if the patient is noticeably not there. Even though the neuroimaging my say their brain is reacting, the person might not be there anymore. After watching the video, it made me more hopeful that people who go into a coma state will come out of it, if provide with the right materials. But if it was my family member, I would not want them to suffer. Even if they wake up, they will have a long road ahead of them, filled with a variety of problems. 2. I do believe that patients who are in the vegetative state that show an increase...
Words: 253 - Pages: 2
...1. Did I reach the goals set for this interview? To what extent? My goal for the interview was to determine the patient’s safety of my patient. I asked her if she felt like hurting herself or if she had thoughts of suicide. She said, “No”. When I asked her if she thought it was a bad idea to walk down the highway she said, “No, because there weren’t a lot of cars on the highway”. This patient is not safe to reenter the community. 2. What other goals emerged? I should have asked where she lives and who she lives with. I should have asked her about the last time she took a shower or changed her clothes. 3. What factors helped/hindered reaching those goals? She was very willing to answer my question, but it was hard to keep her engaged in the conversation. She was talking a lot about being a model and focusing on fixing the bed sheets. She was easily distract, so I had to keep redirecting her back into the conversation. 4....
Words: 619 - Pages: 3
...expressed that he really enjoyed learning more in depth about his family. He mentioned that this experience taught him about more about himself. Tom currently works full time as a spotlight operator in the greater Atlanta area. He graduated from college about a year ago with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts. After college, he worked three part time jobs until he was hired at his current job. He currently lives in Coweta County with his maternal grandparents. His maternal grandfather has recently been diagnosed with cancer, after being in remission for many years. Tom mentioned that cancer has been prevalent in both paternal and maternal family members for at least two generations. He also mentioned that his paternal great grandmother committed suicide many years ago, but he only learned this recently because it was a “family secret”. His parents are both in their fifties and are still married. His mother is a medical coder and his father is a computer programmer. Tom states that his father began taking medication for what he assumes to be depression about four years ago, but Tom has never really pressed his father or mother for more details. He has one brother who is three years younger and living in South Georgia working full time. There is no history of serious medical issues in his immediate family. My client has never received counseling, and is not sure if other family members have ever received counseling. He is not currently on any medication and has not been diagnosed with any...
Words: 1612 - Pages: 7
...to attack my lower abdomen, which I immediately presumed were pre-game butterflies. As our first game commenced, I remember having to walk off the field due to the growing pain in my stomach. Since my parents were not convinced that I was experiencing muscle cramps, they brought me to a Methodist Emergency Center. After an abdominal ultrasound was taken by a technologist, the reading physician diagnosed me with acute appendicitis. The ER staff quickly put my stretcher on an ambulance and rushed me to the Texas Children’s Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. Upon arrival, I remember rolling into a large OR where a surgical team was impatiently waiting. I was asked to count backwards from ten to one. The curiosity of my surroundings assisted me in getting to five. It seemed like a rapid recovery. I had moved from the SICU to another floor in less than a day. Besides the lab tech who could never find my veins, the environment from the rest of the staff was mesmerizing. From the nurse assistants checking my vitals and doing their shift changes, to the physicians giving my family updates, I knew this is where I would be one day. The day before I was set to be discharged, my mother woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of my groans. As she approached my hospital bed, she noticed that I was surrounded in a pool of my own blood. One of the incisions made from the laparoscopic appendectomy had not been closed. Yelling for help, my nurse ran inside to assess the...
Words: 767 - Pages: 4
...An issue that was brought up in my family was my sister having anxiety about the future. I think this issue could require solution focused therapy. For instance, my sister may benefit from the miracle question, such as if she woke up and her anxiety was gone what would that look like? This question may help her with identifying her goal and identify her issue. In addition, solution focused in therapy will consist of looking at positive exceptions in therapy. Positive exceptions will involve my sister exploring patterns relation to anxiety for example, describing the times when she does not experience anxiety. Scaling will also be helpful for my sister, such as on a scale of one to ten what is her anxiety. Furthermore, how can she move that anxiety level to a lower rating on a one to ten scale? I think by exploring the rate of her anxiety my sister will be aware that she can control the anxiety that she experiences at different times of the day. In general, solution focus will help with, disrupting behavioral patterns, change outdated beliefs, and amplify exceptions to behavior than my sister previously believe was unchangeable. Narrative therapy focuses on the “stories” that are told and retold in families. Describe one of these stories from your family. How has it shaped your life? The only story that I can think of that was told and retold was how my stepdad was banned from a store for stealing when he was a teen. The story is often told to prevent other family members who...
Words: 571 - Pages: 3
...Should Physician-assisted suicide be legalized in Canada? Introduction The topic of legalizing Physician-assisted suicide has long been a controversial issue in Canada and has recently received increased attention. In 1993, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled the provisions of the Criminal Code prohibiting assisted suicide. Two decades later, the Supreme Court of Canada began to deliberate whether to uphold or strike down the law prohibiting doctor-assisted suicide. Last month, the nine justices of the Supreme Court heard impassioned pleas for overturning Canada’s absolute prohibition against assisted suicide, with proponents arguing laws that consider the act equivalent to murder are a violation of personal autonomy and infringe the Charter of Rights and Freedom that provides for “life, liberty and security of the person” (Connor, 2014). The hearing sparked fresh debates across the country. Opponents argue that legalizing physician-assisted suicide would lead society down a dangerous "Slippery Slope" that leads to involuntary euthanasia and the killing of people who are thought undesirable. In addition, opponents argue that legalizing physician-assisted suicide gives too much power to doctors and it may reduce the availability of palliative care. The aim of this paper is to make a comprehensive argument in favor of physician-assisted suicide. Physician-Assisted suicide & Euthanasia Physician-assisted suicide occurs for any situation where doctors use drugs or other methods...
Words: 2164 - Pages: 9
...another case of freedom of choice ARGUMENTS AGAINST EUTHANASIA: Euthanasia devalues human life Euthanasia can become a means of health care cost containment Physicians and other medical care people should not be involved in directly causing death There is a “slippery slope” effect that has occurred where euthanasia has been first been legalized for only the terminally and later laws are changed to allow it for other people or to be done non-voluntarily. Opposition overcomes 48 point deficit to defeat assisted suicide - Ballot Question 2 in Massachusetts 1 1 0 Google BOSTON, Nov. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In a stunning upset, the voters of Massachusetts soundly defeated Ballot Question 2 on Election Day. Dealing a significant setback to the expansion of the assisted suicide movement throughout the United States by Compassion & Choices (the organization formerly known as the Hemlock Society), a diverse coalition of disability rights organizations, medical associations, nurses' groups, community leaders and faith-based organizations united in this effort. "Tonight was a huge victory for those of us in the disability rights community that have worked for so long against assisted suicide," noted John Kelly , Director of Second Thoughts – People with Disabilities Opposing Question 2. "This vote confirms that Massachusetts voters saw through the rhetoric and outright misinformation put out by those supporting assisted suicide. Opposition to assisted suicide...
Words: 6383 - Pages: 26
...* Assisted Suicide * Jabarri Moore * COM/172 March 31, 2014 Cassandra Baker Assisted Suicide Patients suffering from debilitating diseases and living in agonizing pain should have the right to end their life without government interference because the constitution states that all American is entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The State Government and the Federal Government will end an individuals’ life if murder is committed to innocent children or to law enforcement personnel. Then when it comes to an individual who has not committed a violent crime and wants to end their life on their due to medical sufferance, the government chooses not to intervene on behalf of the person unless to punish the act in its entirety (Avila, 2000). Individuals Right to End Own Life Quality of Life According to Longmore (2005) the courts, the media, and different onlookers neglected to distinguish or disregarded the prejudicial components of open strategy, human services conveyance, and social administrations that make the lives of some individuals with handicaps terrible; specifically, by denying satisfactory financing for free living, by neglecting to offer fitting mental assessment and intercession, and by ignoring the points of view of inability rights development pioneers in these cases and on these issues. A quadriplegic patient in Detroit, Michigan injured while surfing thus breaking his neck and ultimately rendering the patient to a quadriplegic...
Words: 2873 - Pages: 12
