...Scheduling Death with Dignity In Lindsey Bever article “ Cancer patient Brittany Maynard, 29, has scheduled her death for Nov 1” published by Washington Post on October 8, discusses some of the many problems the terminally ill patients go through during the final stages of their life. Everything in life is planned and scheduled by man, but the author reminds us of how uncertain “death” is in every person’s life, and how it can affect thyself and all the other people who surround them. Bever explains Brittany’s current illness position and how she battles her brain cancer with her own dying terms. Her argumentative point in this article is whether people should have the right to choose when they die? And she points out various options and sacrifice’s Brittany or any terminally ill patients have to make and face when they are diagnosed with extreme mortal diseases. Brittany was diagnosed with Brain Cancer on New Year ’s Day and nine days later she was performed with a surgery and given 10 years to live. But then in April again, doctors saw that her tumor had returned and that she had reached stage 4 in her brain tumor. And the result was grave, only six more months to live. At this point of time in her life, Brittany wrote to CNN stating that she is been on medication for weeks, and that she is tried all the possible treatment that is currently available, but nothing seems to be working on her illness. Doctors explained her options but none would save her life. She wrote her options...
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...Death with Dignity Act Kleta Shinn HSC/430 September 26, 2011 Professor Smith Death with Dignity Act In Washington State, the people voted and passed a law to legalize assisted suicide, called Death with Dignity Act in 2009. This law is for terminally ill patients, diagnosed by their physician to have less than six months to live. There are several steps before the patient is allowed to receive the medication for assisted suicide .“The patient must be a resident of the state, be at least eighteen years old, declared mentally competent to make the request, and two doctors have to certify that he or she has less than six months to live” ( Medical News Today, 2009 ). The representative for Compassion and Choices, an aid in dying advocacy group for assisted suicide, is very supportive of the new law, which gives terminally ill patient other option and helps he or she decide how they wish to live their last days. The Death with Dignity Act allows physicians to prescribe lethal doses of medications to the terminally ill patient. Barbara McKay is terminally ill from advance ovarian cancer and she said “I have watched both my parents suffer with few choices at the end of their lives. I want to be able to decide what time and the way I wish to die.”(Medical News Today,2009). Death with Dignity Act has placed a considerable load of ethical and unethical consequences of emotions on the health care professionals, who will be performing this request. Death with...
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...Callie Yager Haley Stoner English 1302 22 April 2015 The Powerful Mercy of Euthanasia Euthanasia is defined as the merciful killing of one in extreme pain or circumstance. For many years euthanasia has been viewed as a way out, against religious and moral perspectives, and many are afraid that if it were to be completely legal in all of the United States then citizens would certainly abuse this right. However, the four states that have legalized it, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Montana prove these opinions to be false. Especially in Oregon the Death with Dignity Act set the precedent for Euthanasia legislature by setting limitations on who or who could not be considered to actively take their own life. These limitations included a minimum age of 18 years, a diagnoses of six months to live or less, two oral recommendations from physicians at least fifteen days apart and one written recommendation from a physician before the patient could be qualified for active Euthanasia. These guidelines made the practice of Euthanasia more practical to Americans. In a study conducted by Public Agenda, Gallup Organization, in the year 1950 only twenty-six percent of Americans supported assisted suicide and that number more than doubled in 2003 to seventy-two percent. These information alone proves the progressiveness of this form of mercy, this form of choice that euthanasia gives to those suffering. Euthanasia has many forms and is a positive act for those in extreme pain, it gives...
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...Death with Dignity Imagine your mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, or even your best friend, lying in their hospital bed for 3 years now. Intense pain; incurable disease; unable to live outside hospital walls. They may already be thinking about death and when they’re peace will come; however the doctor tells them they can still live for another 2 years if they stay under the hospitals care! Wonderful, right? Not for everyone. Though it may seem great to be able to keep your loved one around for another 2 years, to them it may be pure torture, and in my opinion, a bit inhumane. As advanced as our medicine may be, it isn’t guaranteed that your loved one will survive, and in fact, no matter how many times they change their medication they may still be in excruciating daily pain. What if there were a way to die with dignity? What if your loved one could chose to leave this world as themselves versus what their disease has left them to become? What if, they could plan their exact “death” day, so that they may leave this world completely surrounded by love and support, versus alone at 3 AM in the solitude of the darkness? What if I told you euthanasia could answer all of these questions. Long are the days where euthanasia was only “humane” when we had to put our beloved pets to sleep. It is now legal in a few states for our loved ones to use them as well, but why not every state? We’ve often heard that once our “furbabies” are no longer able to participate in any of their favorite...
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...Mechell Andaya PHI 208 Instructor Michael Larson right to die Mechell Andaya PHI 208 Instructor Michael Larson right to die Using assisted suicide is a personal decision that a person makes to end suffering. As this can change and take an affect a family mentally. The medical procedure that uses euthanasia they use in assisted suicide are carried out by patients with terminal illnesses like irreversible brain tumor (glioblastoma), has no control over how long the pain will last. This is issue is as controversial as well as it has good and bad to it. Many do believe that a person is physically suffering in pain they have the right to die by their own decision. Assisted suicide is not legal in most state and it should be legal for those who are suffering from terminal illness. With anything that is good will always have a down side. Because there is only a few states that it is legal and with that a doctor could lose their license to assist those in places where it is illegal. We know that the issue is with a Senate bill that any type that involves any assisted suicide to include euthanasia or lethal injection. This bill protects assisted suicide. There are advantages with assisted suicide. Physicians that conducts assisted suicide is they give you the decision on how you should end your life. Others argue because on people’s beliefs and opinions on this controversial topic. Some do believe that it is a human right. And in the couple of states that is legal, Doctors...
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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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...Dignity can be defined as “the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.” From the moment the human species developed reasonable thought and understanding, the concept of dignity has played an important role in our individuality and cultural perceptions. It is a powerful state of being that is often a source of utmost pride. In this essay, we will discuss the “Death with Dignity Act” (DWDA), a movement to provide options for the dying to control their own end-of-life care, and discuss why it is important that this legislative act and others characterizing euthanasia on humans should become legal nationwide. On October 27, 1997 Oregon passed the “Death with Dignity Act”. This act allows terminally-ill residents of the state of Oregon...
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...Behuniak, S. M. (2011). Death with " dignity": The wedge that divides the disability rights movement from the right to die movement. Politics and the Life Sciences, vol 30 (1), 17 - 32. Behuniak (2001) article looks at dignity role in physician assisted death ( PAD). PAD is a complex concept that is often interpreted differently. Behuniak, goes on to say that PAD serves as a wedge for different organisations to present their views. Behuniak article specifically looks at the views of compassion and choice ( (C&C) and not dead yet ( NDY) organisations. C&C and NDY each take a different stance on dignity role in PAD. C& C are for PAD and focus on the patient not suffering and having a good death. C&C promote the patients privacy and...
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...There are at least two forms of suicide. One is 'emotional suicide', or irrational self- murder in all of it complexities and sadness. Let me emphasis at once that my view of this tragic form of self-destruction is the same as that of the suicide intervention movement and the rest of society, which is to prevent it wherever possible. I do not support any form of suicide for mental health or emotional reasons. But I do say that there is a second form of suicide -- justifiable suicide, that is, rational and planned self-deliverance from a painful and hopeless disease which will shortly end in death. I don't think the word 'suicide' sits well in this context but we are stuck with it. Many have tried to popularize the term 'self-deliverance' but it is an uphill battle because the news media is in love with the words 'assisted suicide'. Also, we have to face the fact that the law calls all forms of self-destruction 'suicide.' Let me point out here for those who might not know it that suicide is no longer a crime anywhere in the English-speaking world. (It used to be, and was punishable by giving all the dead person's money and goods to the government.) Attempted suicide is no longer a crime, although under health laws a person can in most states be forcibly placed in a psychiatric hospital for three days for evaluation. But giving assistance in suicide remains a crime, except in the Netherlands in recent times...
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...In 1994 the voters of Oregon voted to become the first state to pass the legalization of assisted suicide enacting the Oregon Death with Dignity Act (ODWDA). The law sanctioned registered doctors to prescribe lethal dose of regulated drugs to patients with the approval of two physicians to be within six months of dying from of an incurable condition. The patient must make a voluntary request and must undergo counseling to determine if the patient suffers from any psychological disorders or any form of depression causing impaired judgement. When the law was passed, the Justice Department, under Attorney General Janet Reno, deter that it did not violate the Controlled Substance Act (CSA). The CSA was passed in 1970 and sanctions Congress to...
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...live, and die according to one’s desires and beliefs. Death with dignity is a national organization located in Oregon, which is non-partisan, non-profit that has led the legal defense and education of the Oregon law for nearly twenty years; however, the actual law for death with dignity was not passed until 1994 and due to legal issues, it became effective later in 1997. The Board of Directors for Death with Dignity Movements are some of the most esteemed medical, legal and scholarly experts, which are responsible for the political defense of the Oregon law and the promotion of death with dignity initiatives in other states. The Oregon Death with Dignity act has given patients what others might think or find deplorable a chance to die with dignity in their own terms. The Act allows mentally competent terminally ill adults who have six months or less to live receive, under strict safeguard, a prescription for life ending medication The goal of the Death with Dignity National Center is three fold: defend dignity, mobilize dignity, and preserve dignity. To Defend Dignity, the Death with Dignity National Center works with an “extensive and costly legal defense of the Oregon law, as well as coalition building providing the flexibility to rapid response to both legal and political challenges” (DWDNC, 2011). A second goal of the Death with Dignity National Center is to mobilize dignity. In mobilizing dignity, the Death with Dignity National Center “provides various educational and outreach...
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...In recent years there has been this discussion on the topic of the “Death with Dignity” act. This act came into play in particular with the case of Brittany Maynard, a twenty-nine year old with terminal brain cancer. Brittany decided that rather than to see herself and her quality of life deteriorate, or be a burden to others, to forego physician-assisted suicide. While death with dignity has made its seem as if it is helping people, there are some questions that come into play. What about the family of the disabled? What are you telling people who are disabled or stricken with sickness that will eventually lead to their death? With the death with dignity act, it is telling people they should give up, not only on life, but on themselves and allows further people’s right to take away the life of the most defenseless. It...
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...life is being taken, even if that person wants to commit suicide.”(409-410) Quindlen argues for the Nimitz decisions to be left alone. Quindlen takes in to consideration the law, the mental state of Mrs. and Mr. Nimitz, and her own thoughts or feelings. Oregon.gov states that on October 27, 1997 Oregon enacted the Death with Dignity Act which allows terminally-ill Oregonians to end their lives through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act requires the Oregon Health Authority to collect information about the patients and physicians who participate in the Act, and publish an annual statistical report. This law makes many double or triple think of how death would change the faith of life. “…two out of three Americans support the right to euthanasia.” These Americans that have agreed have put much thought into supporting this law. Agreeing with euthanasia doesn’t say to someone that he or she don’t have proper morals or don’t believe in faith, it’s saying that is the way free will of someone. The law is clearly handled well it must be documented for every death, which in thought is the best way for it to be shown that it’s not a cruel act against the ill person. Yes, there are people that oppose this law completely. For example John Ashcroft an attorney general that Quindlen says “…took time to subvert the will of the...
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...Lee The authors thoughts on this topic, is that physicians should assist their patient’s with end of life assistance when there is no sign of a patient recovering from their current state of condition. The options the patient should have is to be placed on hospice which will allow the patient to be as comfortable as possible. The use of a living will give the family and physician’s guidance for what steps are to be taken at the end of life; however, when the time comes not all family members feel the decisions the family member made are the right choices. Everyone can discuss what one would like to have happen to them, but when placed in making those decisions it becomes hard due to a normal reaction is to save family not plan their death. Technology has advanced over the years where it is now possible to keep an individual alive for long periods of time. With the ability to feed and breath for patients with the use of tubes an individual does not need to be coherent in order for decisions to be made regarding their health. Ethical values and the decision making play vital roles in how physicians will treat their patients. The socioeconomic status plays a huge role in the way a physician will chose which plan will be best for their patient. The ability to pay for treatment also has a factor in making decisions for an individual’s treatment plan. If a patient has good insurance and is financially stable physicians may plan a long term regimen treatment plan, those that lack...
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...has had only one citizen take advantage of their law. So we see that the patients who have consciously made this decision get to have their wish carried out, and those who are suffering but still wish to live will still have choices. We must prioritize the needs of the living. Caring for a terminally ill or otherwise encumbered person is incredibly taxing on both the individual and the caregiver. Because Medicare and state and federal Medicaid systems don’t cover the cost of hiring in-home care-giving support, the physical, psychological, emotional, financial, and social strain on caregivers is very real. The patients usually feel guilty about involving their loved ones in their problems, because according to the Summary of the Death with Dignity Act of 2007, Loss of autonomy, or not being able to care for oneself and make one’s own decisions, is reported in 100% of cases of PAS in Oregon. Furthermore, since medical care is incredibly expensive and full time caregivers are not covered by...
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