Derek Humphry's Final Exit

They provide the opinions of nurses nationwide and analyze suggestions from a large number of nurses to improve the care provided to patients at the end of their life. Since there are many suggestions as to how end-of-life care can be improved from not only a specific area of the United States but from nurses representing the nation as a whole, this proves that the care provided to these patients had become an issue. The authors have expertise in the nursing profession and have all acquired their PhD, proving that this is a reliable source. I will use this in my research paper to explore different ways of improving end-of-life care to help patients feel comfortable and how improving the system can cause physician-assisted suicide to no longer be

Many people believe that health care providers should do everything in their power to keep the patient alive. Yet, a growing population is beginning to side with the argument that in certain situations a person should be allowed death with dignity. From a terminally ill patient’s standpoint, being able to go on their own terms rather than undergoing extensive treatment that often leads to extensive suffering in their final weeks and months, brings them peace. When surveyed, the number one priority of elders is being able to maintain their independence (Matthews, 2013). This generation, does not want to become a burden for their families. Physician assisted suicide allows the patient to end their life when they decide they do not have a tolerable quality of life

Every individual has to make choices in life; life can be seen as a plethora of crossroads veering off into different directions with every which way. Choices that can create or destroy life; in the blink of an eye a life could end, but in the same moment a new life could be brought into existence. The choice of physician-assisted suicide provides control, familiarity, and closure to the terminally ill patients. The patient is able to choose where he or she will be, when the time is right, and the ability to be surrounded around loved-ones and gain closure by saying goodbye in a timely-manner.

Derek Humphry’s passion for euthanasia stemmed from helping his wife end her life while suffering from cancer. With his support the Hemlock Society morphed into End-of-Life Choices, which “merged with Compassion in Dying to form Compassion and Choices (Friend, 2011, pg 111).” These organizations support individuals who are losing their dignity due to a terminal illness, and are seeking to maintain that dignity until death. With the creation and support for these types of organizations PAS has become a main stream topic of conversation, and has helped Oregon, Montana, and Washington pass laws decriminalizing

The actual patients’ examples of assist suicide in Woodman’s book, they are strong enough evidences to convince the reader why physician-assisted suicide should be legal in society. Like stories she provides, so many patients and their families are hoping to end their life in dignity and even though they decide to die, so many countries and states banned their last rights because of ethical reasons which actual patients do not care.

Suffering is a constant companion of humans today; people experience it every day, whether it be emotional or physical, internal or external. Living with a terminal illness is also living with suffering, both because of the physical pain that is felt, and also the emotional blows the patient experiences every day. A terminally ill patient has a monumental part of their life taken from them. Few aspects of life still remain in their control, because of doctors, family members, and the illness itself. However, there is a practice that places a final decision, the right to choose the circumstances of death, with the patient. Physician-assisted suicide (PAS), or physician

Physician assisted suicide is a controversy that has sparked heated debate and divide communities for over a hundred year. Groups such as medical professionals, religious leaders, and lawmakers have been divided on this issue; the question being not only “is physician assisted suicide acceptable?”, but “should physician assisted suicide be legalized?” There are two sides to this controversy, those for the legalization and those against. The sides are making arguments to support their claim for or against in hopes to convince not only lawmakers but also voters, and individuals that may not be as educated on this topic. This essay will discuss how this controversy has divided the end of life care community and the arguments being made by both

When a patient finally comes to the conclusion that they would like to bring their lives to an end, they are to end or opt out of enduring physical and emotional torture. I believe that if he or she first has been diagnosed by multiple separate sources with no room for error regarding the severity and mortality of their disease, other individuals should not have the authority to deny this option of relief. This practice, over the past ten years, has consistently accounted for “approximately one out of every thousand deaths per year” which may appear insignificant, but “one in fifty patients talk to their doctor about it, and one in six talk with family members” (“Existing ‘Last Resorts’”, 1). Most of these candidates will find great solace

A Death of One’s Own sheds light onto the controversial issue regarding end of life decisions, providing a few examples of people struggling with these choices. The film tells the stories of three particular individuals, Jim, Kitty, and Ricky, each with a unique end of life situation. Jim suffers from ALS and has specific care requests, 56-year-old Kitty struggles with her uterine cancer and constant pain, and Ricky is a patient dying from severe liver failure who can no longer speak and make decisions on his own. All of these individuals present different, yet similar issues regarding end of their life care. This film describes the importance of advance directives, the arguments surrounding physician assisted suicide, and this prompted me to form my own opinion on preparing my own directives and thoughts on these tough decisions.

Today, there is a large debate over the situation and consequences of euthanasia. Euthanasia is the act of ending a human’s life by lethal injection or the stoppage of medication, or medical treatment. It has been denied by most of today’s population and is illegal in the fifty states of the United States. Usually, those who undergo this treatment have a disease or an “unbearable” pain somewhere in the body or the mind. Since there are ways, other than ending life, to stop pain caused by illness or depression, euthanasia is immoral, a disgrace to humanity, according to the Hippocratic Oath, and should be illegal throughout the United States.

Since nurses are a vital link between the patient, the family, and the physician, it is not uncommon for them to assume the role as their patients’ strongest advocates. In the countries and states where assisted suicide has been legalized, nurses have the largest involvement in caring for end-of-life patients in a variety of home or institutionalized settings (Holt, 2008). Of all the healthcare providers with whom patients first discussed their request for suicide, nurses comprised the majority at 37%

Active euthanasia is a subject that is raising a lot of concern in today’s society on whether or not it should be legalized and under what circumstances should it be allowed. This is a very tricky subject due to its ability to be misused and abused. There are a wide variety of things that need to be considered when it comes to who should be allowed to request active euthanasia such as, is it an autonomous choice, do they have a terminal illness, is their quality of life dramatically decreased, and are they in pain and suffering. Both James Rachel and Daniel Callahan have very different opinions on active euthanasia and whether or not it should be allowed. However both authors manage to provide a substantial argument on where they stand regarding active euthanasia.

Thesis Statement: Many states do not allow for assisted suicides of terminally ill patients. I reason with the advances in medical science this should be an option for all terminally ill patients. Main Supportive Points: The wonders of modern medicine have come at a price not only are healthy people living longer lives, but the terminally ill patients are living longer (Coombs, 2017).

Euthanasia is a controversial issue. Many different opinions have been formed. From doctors and nurses to family members dealing with loved ones in the hospital, all of them have different ideas for the way they wish to die. However, there are many different issues affecting the legislation and beliefs of legalizing euthanasia. Taking the following aspects into mind, many may get a different understanding as to why legalization of euthanasia is necessary. Some of these include: misunderstanding of what euthanasia really is, doctors and nurses code of ethics, legal cases and laws, religious and personal beliefs, and economics in end-of-life care.

Euthanasia is the practice of ending the life of an individual for the purposes of relieving pain and suffering. Over the years, there has been a big debate about its merits and demerits, and the debate is not about to end anytime soon. However, no matter what side of the debate one supports, it is important to consider a few facts. One, the prolonged stay in hospital is bound to raise medical costs. Two, some medical complications bring suffering and pain to the patient without any possibility of getting back to one 's normal activities of daily living. However, ending the life of a person intentionally may be treated as a serious crime in some jurisdictions. Given these facts, it is evident that making a decision about euthanasia is bound to be a challenging task. Although not everyone might agree, euthanasia is a necessary procedure that relieves the pain and suffering of the patient and rids the family and the government of expensive medical costs that would not necessary improve the life of the patient.