Patient Assisted Suicide Case Paper

“We don’t let animals suffer, so why humans?”(Stephen Hawking) Not only is assisted suicide not legal in most states, but people are judged for taking that option. So basically, they should just live in pain because you’re uncomfortable…? How is ending your dog's life because he’s in unbearable pain any different from helping a person end their pain?

The patient is a 10 year old male who presented to the ED with multiple lacerations on his left hand. The patient denies suicidal ideations, homicidal ideations, and symptoms of psychosis. The patient states, " I don't know why I cut myself." Later on, the patient denies threats towards other students and admits he cut himself because it felt good.

Pt is a 12 y/o African American female presented at NNBHC with dx of ADHD combine type, ODD, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation D/O, Mood D/O, PTSD and Sexual Abuse (victim/ perpetrator), who have been feeling severely depressed and SI. Pt states that she has had SI with a plan to overdose or cut her wrist. Pt is considered high risk due her unsuccessful attempt to commit suicide on 7/5/2015 by taking a handful (unknown quantity) of Clonidine. She was hospitalized at CHKD until she was medially stable, than transferred to Maryview for mental stabilization. Pt states that she is unable to contract for safety at this time, and unsure of what she may do due to her impulsivity. Pt has also have been currently distributing nude pictures to adult males via cell phone. Virginia Beach Police Department is involved with the solicition of child pornography per report from pt mother. Pt have been using explicit communication of sexual acts via text message with males and females. Since 7/5/15 there have been a change in medication Vyvanse 70mg to 30mg. Pt have a hx of becoming verbally aggressive towards hospital staff when medications change. Pt denies any psychosis or paranoid thinking.

Physician assisted suicide has been a controversial topic all over the world for many years. In the article, “Physician-Assisted Suicide Betrays Human Dignity and Violates Equality Before the Law," author Ryan Anderson believes this choice goes against religious beliefs, that it is inhumane and makes the weak more vulnerable. Others, like author Patti Waldmeir, believe that this is a choice that should be offered to the ones suffering from a terminal illness, as stated in her article, "Oregon's right-to-die act tests reach of federal law over lethal drug doses." This is not a choice that is forced onto patients, it is just a final resort to the ones that cannot live another day in agony. Regardless

Recent decriminalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide has brought the subject back to the fore front of many professional nurses practice. There is little research involving the professional nurse and how often they are asked to be a resource to patients seeking this specific end of life care. The current standards of practice in states where Physician-Assisted Suicide leaves many questions in the professional nurses mind of what their role is in this type of care. There is a gap in the current education and resources available for the professional nurse to navigate this sensitive topic with confidence. The need to fill this gap in education

Although it is almost self explanatory, being a procedure where an assistant or physician ends or terminates one's life, and a prescribed medication is given, can define an assisted suicide. Commonly, but not always, one is diagnosed with a disease or sickness that can no longer be dealt with. Refusing to take the natural path some believe God has planned for those who believe, but can no longer bear the pain, they come to the idea of assisted suicide. Physician assisted suicide shall give people not only the right to be treated equally or the right to die in a healthy, and happier way but shall additionally give them the right to determine when and where they die.

Thirty-six year old James Foster accompanied by his wife Megan signs his do-not-resuscitate order (DNR). Both Mr. Foster and his wife are understanding of what a do-not-resuscitate order is and are in agreeance. James has stage IV prostate cancer, but he is young and his wife believes he will pull through. A month passes, and early one morning James stops breathing, the patient is coding. Nurse Compton rushes in along with other medical professionals. Mrs. Foster is screaming, “Save him. Save him. Do whatever it takes to save him. Do not let him die.” Nurse Compton knows that Mr. Foster has a do-not-resuscitate order on file and feels not only sad in regards to the situational pain that Mrs. Foster is exhibiting, but morally conflicted with

Physician-assisted suicide better known as (PAS), is the willing intentional termination of a person’s life with the assistance of a physician. There has been much controversy over moral and ethical concerns regarding physician assisted suicide and whether or not it’s use in medical practice is considered ethical and right. This type of medical practice is becoming a great concern to hundreds of people. The question being asked is: should we allow and provide people the right of physician-assisted suicide?

On 11/19/16 at 1156 hrs, I was dispatched to Carrollwood 4068 78th Ave Apt 5, Pinellas Park 33781. Reference the complainant’s daughter receiving text messages from her daughter’s boyfriend stating they were going to committed suicide.

The following case study addresses the care I provided to a patient who was brought in by ambulance to the emergency department after a gunshot wound.

“Someone call 911”, I said, when I saw a girl fall down the stairs lying unconscious. The nurse at Rockdale County High School assisted with the situation. My friend Fred and I held her so she wouldn’t hurt herself any more than had already been done. The nurse notified us that this girl has epilepsy (meaning that a person has had two or more seizures, but it’s not contagious & is not caused by mental illness or mental retardation). I didn’t pay too much attention to what the nurse was saying because I was focused on the girl's breathing and her ability regain consciousness. The nurse insisted on calling her sister to be there for her when she wakes up. The nurse knew that when she would wake up, she would want to hug one of us or her sister because all she remembers is blacking out during the time it took place.

The values and priorities in healthcare are constantly changing and we need to ensure that our practice and our laws are evolving with these changes. Medically assisted death is a controversial topic worldwide and especially in Canada right now, as there will be a gap between legislations leaving a grey-area for healthcare providers, as the ban will be lifted June 6th, 2016 and there is no current bill or legislation in place currently. The forum I will be attending is called, “DEMOCRACY TALKS Medical Assistance in Dying” on Tuesday, 24 May 2016 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at Memorial Library located at 1950 Marine Drive, in West Vancouver. The link to the forum is: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/democracy-talks-medical-assistance-in-dying-tickets-24972236632?aff=ebrowse.

The intuitive account of the moral significance of choice is what Scanlon calls the Forfeiture View, which he then sets against the Value of Choice view. The Forfeiture View places moral weight on the deliberateness and voluntariness of a person’s decision. This view asserts that one has no right to complain about a given health outcome if he consciously and intentionally chose the harmful option while he could have reasonably avoided it as she was well-informed and has access to alternative options through which she would have avoided being exposed to harm. (Scanlon, 1998, 258-9) In other words, what matters is whether one has chosen the risk “with full awareness of the considerations”, in other words, with full awareness of the probability

Over the days Komaeda spent bedridden and recovering from this Hinata found himself more and more at Komaeda's bedside. What had started as a series of strictly professional check-ups had evolved into a personal, close relationship. Despite Komaeda’s belief that Hinata had much more important manners to take of, but Hinata’s persistence presence couldn't be shaken by all the incomplete reports in the world.

Patient presented to the ED via EMS after a attempted suicide by driving his car into a tree. Patient reports braking up with his girlfriend a month ago and experiencing depressive symptoms. He reports that his girlfriend and him had a 7 year relationship, which he shared a with a 6 year old daughter from the relationship. Patient expresses that in the past he has been verbal aggressive towards her and she has recently moved into er mothers home. The patient reports since her leaving he has been having suicidal thought. He reports that he never attempted suicide, however has had a history of depression and a verbally abusive father. The patient express a poor appetite, sleep, and loss in usual pleasure, which is praying for change in his relationship.