...Ethical Theories Applied to Euthanasia It is a patient’s right to make the decision to end their life when they are facing a terminal illness, especially after all attempts to provide pain management have failed. However, these patients are left with few options due to the legal, moral, or religious complications of voluntary euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (PAS). But, if terminally ill patients had these options available, they would be given the respect to die with the dignity they are entitled to at the end of their life. By applying the utilitarian theory to this question, we would first have to ask, are we providing the greatest amount of happiness or more pain? From a utilitarian point of view, if allowing someone to die with dignity will promote more happiness for them, and those who will be affected by this act, then it is morally ethical. By applying virtue ethics, we would have to ask, whether it is more charitable to continue with pain management until their death, or to relieve their unnecessary pain and suffering by voluntary euthanasia or PAS. Regardless of the moral theories applied, legalizing voluntary euthanasia or PAS, will grant more options, to include reducing the amount of suffering experienced, eliminate the patient’s use of other means to end his or her life, and allow for families to prepare for their loved one’s passing, all of which keeps the patient’s dignity intact. Utilitarianism looks at the best action producing the best consequences...
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...error made during their care or hospitalization. Many people in need of diagnostic tests or surgical procedures are forced to wait months, and perhaps even years, to receive these services. These are just some examples of the kinds of ethical challenges that patients and their families may confront in the health care setting. Disagreements typically take one of two forms. Either the health care professional might push a treatment option for more or less treatment that patients and families deem unacceptable, or conversely patients/families may push a treatment option, whether it is more or less treatment, or different treatment, as an alternative, or complementary treatment that health care professionals deem unacceptable (Breslin, MacRae, Bell, & Singer, 2005). Ethical Issue According to research studies, it is the end-of-life critical care cases that tend to be the most emotionally charged, and the most intractable, because these are the cases in which the most is at stake. End of life cases typically amount, literally, to conflicts over life and death. A paradigm example of what has become the most common scenario would involve a patient in the late stages of a terminal illness, such as cancer with multiple metastases, or an elderly patient with multiple co-morbidities, who is...
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... Both dilemmas are presented for examination and discussion in this class via two scenarios. In the first case scenario, the family of a victim of a hemorrhagic stroke must decide what measures they want the hospital staff to take to either sustain her life or if they want to deny any or all life-saving steps. In this instance, the father and children are at odds in their decision. The next case presents malpractice lawsuit scene where a nurse is called to testify on behalf of the patient against the negligent nurse and hospital. While these situations are vastly different, they share two inherent questions: What is the ethical thing to do? What is the nurse’s legal obligation? Each case study produced different legal questions. In the first case study the family of the patient could not agree on a course of action. There was no advance directive and the patient was not conscious. The husband of the patient in this case is the legal next of kin and is therefore legally responsible for making health care decisions for his wife when she is unable to do so. The children of the patient could challenge their father in court. A court battle would prolong any treatment the husband may deem necessary for his wife. The nurse has an obligation to the patient’s family as well as the patient. In the second case study, a nurse is called to testify in a malpractice case in which she had witnessed another nurse being negligent. The witnessing nurse previously reported the negligent...
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...It can be extremely difficult for a woman to know what is the best option for her when faced with an unplanned pregnancy. Many women feel that abortion sound like the most appealing solution for their circumstance, in fact, according to a study (Sedgh and Bearak, 2016) approximately 56 million abortions are performed each year, all around the world! Abortion, also known as pregnancy termination, is defined as (Anon, 2017) a medical process of ending a pregnancy by removing a fetus before it is ready to live outside the uterus. There are two ways to end an unwanted pregnancy: medical abortion, which involves taking medicine to remove the fetus or by surgical abortion that involves a minor operation at a health center. Each procedure is used...
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...evaluating and applying throughout this essay. These are two time-honoured philosophical positions that apply to a wide variety of topics. Deontology is an ethical system that is attributed to the philosophical tradition of Immanuel Kant. Deontology demands that the actions, or means themselves must be ethical. This philosophy is based upon principles of duty and obligation, we have the freedom to act morally (right) or otherwise (wrong) based on General Universal Laws. To respect life means that you must not kill, to respect others is not to steal these moral laws are black and white as you must do what is right and do not do what is wrong regardless of circumstance or outcome. Deontologists argue that there are transcendent ethical norms and truths that are universally applicable to all people. Deontology holds that some actions are immoral regardless of their consequence; these actions are wrong in and of themselves. We should not act out of feeling, inclination, love or compassion, but out of our moral duty according to the universal moral laws. Kant gives a ‘categorical imperative’ to act morally at all times. The categorical imperative has three main principles and helps us to know which actions are obligatory and which are forbidden. Moral statements are categorical in that they prescribe actions irrespective of the result. These principles are: 1. The Universal Law – Universal moral laws are expressed as principles that can be universalised – moral laws must be applied in...
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...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 to aid their patients in an effort to die sooner. This is usually done in response to some kind of terminal illness that leaves the person with greatly diminished capacity and extreme suffering. There are some non-terminal cases where people may want doctor-assisted suicide if they have a condition that causes a lot of suffering but doesn’t necessarily lead to death. There has been a lot of...
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...brought into consideration in ethical dilemmas. Healthcare professionals often use these ethical principles as a premise to make morally sound judgements on care provision. Ethical dilemmas surface when these principles conflict with one another. The correct course of action is not clearly defined and the decisions made may be challenged. Decisions made on moral grounds are often intrinsically complex and intricate. This essay will cover the principles of distributive justice, autonomy, and beneficence. Drawing from personal experience, three individual case pertaining to each principle are provided to illustrate how each principle is either observed or breached. A conclusion is presented at the end of each case study to summarize the ethical reasoning and concepts discussed. A final conclusion will also be presented at the end of the essay to provide closure to the discussion. Distributive Justice Case Study: Dr Adams is a physician working in an acute medical ward. During his shift, he reviewed two critically ill patients. Patient A was an 80-year old lady with thrombocytopenia secondary to lymphoma with a low haemoglobin level. She had been receiving palliative care prior to admission. Patient B was a 50-year old man with an actively bleeding peptic ulcer. His haemoglobin had dropped significantly and was passing malena stools. Dr Adams decided to transfuse both patients but received notification from the Blood Transfusion Unit that they were in severe shortage...
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...University Dyson College of Arts and Sciences February 3, 2012 Table of Contents Introduction……….................................................................................... 3 Background…………………………..……………………...................... 3 Literature Review……………………………….……………………….. 5 Conclusion………………………………………….……......................... 7 References........………………………………………….…..................... 9 Introduction Imagine being in such a great deal of pain, and suffering that you make the decision to end your own life. We often have people there in our lives to help us along the way. Parents are there to love us, teachers are there to teach us, and doctors are there to help us when we are sick. But what happens when you are terminally ill, who is there to help you then? Doctors can only do so much. Many people believe that they should have the right to end their lives, while others disagree. If people do decide to end their lives, why shouldn’t they get the best care possible? Dr. Jack Kevorkian is a very well known physician who offered these possibilities to his patients with grim futures. In this paper I will be covering different aspects of the very controversial subject of physician-assisted suicide. Background On April 13, 1999, the infamous doctor performing assisted suicide, Dr. Jack Kevorkian also known as “Dr. Death.” As CNN’s journalist Mallory Simon reported (1999), Kevorkian was sentenced to ten to twenty-five years in prison for...
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...on the political stage. This research paper will discuss how the death penalty is not murder nor is it cruel. The death penalty is the delivery of justice to a suspect that has committed the most hideous crime of murder. The death penalty is justice being served after the suspect has been found guilty by a jury and has been through countless hearings in an appellate court. Our society has to have a defense in the battle of good versus evil, and a punishment that would cause one to pause before they commit an action that would end the life of another human being. This research paper will show why it is important to fully understand Capital Punishment and why it is important for all levels of Criminal Justice to have a defense against those who would do society harm. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT The death penalty causes a lot of debate throughout the United States. The death penalty delivers a retribution for the victim by ending the defendant’s life. The penalty is a deserved punishment that protects society and causes the defendant to pay the price to the victim for the harm he caused. A killer facing death as retribution is justified in the Holy Bible, “ Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6, ESV). According to the Death Penalty Information Center, approximately 32 states have enacted a statutory death penalty since capital punishment was reinstated in the United States in 1976, "States With and...
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...| | |Course Project | |Flaws in Advance Directives, Living Wills, and Power of Attorney | Introduction A Living Will is a form of an advance directive that is a “legal document that describes those treatments an individual wishes or does not wish to receive should he or she becomes incapacitated and unable to make medical decisions” (Pazgar, 2007, p. 378). Normally in a Living Will an individual would also indicate another individual as his or her power of attorney in the legal document; however, it is not necessary for a living will to be created with a power of attorney or a power of attorney to be created with a living will though it is highly recommended to do so. This is due to the fact that each has its flaws and each could compensate for one another though in reality it could create more conflicts too. For a physician or any other healthcare provider to go against a patient’s autonomy means that there are many legal problems these physicians may face because...
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...What people fear is not the end of their life, but the fragility of their mortality. The topic of euthanasia has been a long term controversy that evokes intense emotions and arguments when mentioned in a conversation. Euthanasia, at its fundamental core, is the consensual act of ending a patient’s life in a painless manner at their own request. Depending on the condition of a person’s illness, this method is a option to provide relief for those suffering due to incurable and unstoppable pain. In many countries, the prohibition of euthanasia can cause terminally ill patients to consider suicide as way to end their agonizing affliction. Taking into consideration the varying medical conditions of patients, the freedom of choice, and the case...
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...Industry Areas for Practical studies in which theoretical papers / books are not to be taught in regular classroom sessions, but the teachers and students are free to use any available books, publications and online material to understand and guide the students for various sectors. Ideally, a teacher should study and specialize in at least TWO Sectors, so four teachers can guide 60 students in a class. (Reference: Appendix 1: List of Sectorial Areas for Comprehensive Project study given in Sem III Syllabus). This report is similar to the Grand Project, which was the part of earlier syllabus. The Comprehensive Project Report is based on the research methodology and students have to prepare the research report by using appropriate scientific statistical research tools for preparation of the CP in consultation with the faculty guide. (Please also refer the Guidelines for CP in MBA Semester III, as the same Project Title continues in Semester IV). A student has to opt for any ONE of the Sectorial Areas and study it thoroughly. The students may undertake the CP based on the selection of an Industry Defined Problem (IDP), if possible for conducting his/her Project. The work of the CP report is divided in Semester -III and Semester -IV and students have to undertake the work as per the guidelines of GTU under the guidance of the Internal Guide and submit the Progress Report in Semester -III for evaluation. The final report is to be submitted by the students at the end of Semester IV. Ideally...
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...Case Study | Quantum Telecom Questions 1. How do we eliminate politics from gate review meetings? Gate review meetings are a form of project close. Gate review meeting could result in the closure of a life-cycle or the closure of the entire project. At each gate, the continuation of the process is decided by the project manager or a steering committee. The decision is based on the information available at the time, including the business case, risk analysis, and availability of necessary resources (e.g., money, people with correct competencies). Politics exist in any life cycle phase of a project. Two or more people or a group of people is needed for a politics to occur. Politics in project management have positive impact and negative impact in a project management. Project manager using his political influence with project sponsor to get qualified resources needed or a high priority for the project could certainly lead to a positive outcome. Unfavorable outcomes occur when people play politics for more power, authority, control, or advancement opportunities. In gate review meeting, politics can influence in GO/NO-GO decision of project advancement. To eliminate or minimize politics in gate review meeting, committee sponsorship can be adopted to minimize the politics in gate review meeting. Committees are comprised of middle managers from marketing, R&D, and operations. The idea is that committee will be able to make decisions in the best interest of the company more...
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...Abstract Research into trends concerning medical futility reveal that aggressive treatment at the end of life is not equating to better outcomes (Colello 2008). In fact, not only is it providing no benefit, all too often it imposes unnecessary pain and suffering. In the case of patients who lack decision making capacity and do not have an advance directive, families are often approached by nursing staff and asked “Do you want us to do everything?” or if they would prefer a Do Not Resuscitate status (DNR), meaning CPR will not be initiated if breathing or the patient’s heart were to stop. This sends a confusing message to families, that there is something worthy of offering their loved ones; when the reality is, there is nothing worthwhile left to offer. More often than not, despite a grim prognosis for the patient and the possibility of being in a persistent vegetative state (PSV), families routinely choose this option, largely because an informative conversation has never taken place as to the implications of these decisions. This is an issue which can no longer be overlooked. It is costing our nation dearly, both ethically and fiscally. As Americans, it is high time that we come to terms with our mortality and accept the reality that death awaits us all. Denial will not make it less likely to occur. As such, in an effort to promote awareness of this issue and the detrimental impact it has on patients and society as a whole, the following will define and explain the various...
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...euthanasia and assisted suicide……………………………….3 States considering bills to legalize physician-assisted suicide………….3-4 Death with Dignity Acts………………………………………………......4-5 Oppose Physician Assisted Suicide………………………………………5-6 Supporters…………………………………………………………………6-7 Reference…………………………………………………………………..7-8 Introduction For decades, the public, government, and physicians have been debating over the “Death with Dignity Act” or “Physician-Assisted Suicide.” It started back in the Ancient Greek and Rome time. The debate originated around the Hippocratic Oath and the condemnation of the practice. With the upsurge of Christianity, many physicians continued to condemn the practice. Within the last two centuries the public has spurned many discussions about Physician-assisted suicide and Euthanasia from many different historic perspectives (Procon.org, 2012). Although this debate has been lengthy and many of the issues discussed over the centuries are repetitive, new ideas and concerns do emerge with the current debate. What do you think when you here assisted suicide? Would you want your family member to suffer with an illness that has put them in so much pain that they cannot function? Personally, I would not want to see my family member suffer in pain while they are dying with no cure. About Euthanasia and Assisted suicide Euthanasia is an act or omission intended to cause the death of a person in order to eliminate suffering, allegedly for his/her benefit. Euthanasia can be voluntary...
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