The Death Of A Terminally Ill Patient

Assisted suicide is a topic that has ignited a severe debate due to the controversy that surrounds its implementation. Assisted suicide occurs when a patients expresses their intention to die and request a physician to assist them in the process. Some countries like Oregon, Canada, and Belgium have legalized the process terming it as an alternative to prolonged suffering for patients who are bound to die. Unlike euthanasia where a physician administers the process, assisted suicide requires that the patient voluntarily initiates and executes the process. Although there exists concession such a process is important to assist patients die without much suffering, there has emerged criticism on its risk of abuse and as an expression of medical

Physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia is still under scrutiny for a number of reasons. “In spring, 1996, the Ninth and Second Circuits were the first circuit courts in the country to find a constitutional prohibition against laws which make physician-assisted suicide a crime” (Martyn & Bourguignon, 1997). New York was one of the states that followed this prohibition. Eventually, The Ninth and Second Circuit, “allow physician-assisted suicide while attempting to protect individuals from unacceptable harms, such as involuntary euthanasia” (Martyn & Bourguignon, 1997). An assumption can be made, that euthanasia involves a licensed physician to play an active role in this partaking, and it’s where the patient prepares to die at.

Terminally ill patients’ requests for physician-assisted suicide are now a viable possibility. Knowing the pathways to answering to those patients, as their requests for assisted death persist, is upmost importance. As of June, 9th 2016 California became the fifth state to allow physician-assisted suicide. The California’s End of Life Option Act authorizes any individual 18 years of age or older, who has been diagnosed as terminally ill and fits specific criteria, to solicit administration of assisted dying drugs at the hands of his/her attending physician. This Act will require specific documentation and data to be submitted to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) by the attending physician

A woman suffering from cancer became the first person known to die under the law on physician-assisted suicide in the state of Oregon when she took a lethal dose of drugs in March, 1998. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act passed a referendum in November, 1997, and it has been the United States ' only law legalizing assisted suicide since then. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, more than 4,000 doctors have approved of the assisted suicide law (cited in "The Anguish of Doctors,” 1996). The law allows terminally ill patients who have been given six months or less to live and wish to hasten their deaths to obtain medication prescribed by two doctors. The most important thing to notice is that this law does not include those who have been on a life support system nor does it include those who have not voluntarily asked physicians to help them commit suicide. The issue of doctor-assisted suicide has been the subject of the heated dispute in recent years. Many people worry that legalizing doctor assisted suicide is irrational and violates the life-saving tradition of medicine. However, physician-assisted suicide should be legalized because it offers terminally ill people an opportunity for a peaceful death and recognized the inadequacy of current medical practice to deal with death.

Physician assisted suicide has been practiced over the past couple centuries and is beginning to spark the interest in many people who suffer from terminal diseases. Physician assisted suicide is the voluntary termination of one 's own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician ("Physician-assisted Suicide"). Starting in the early 1800 's, physicians did all they could to save the lives of their patients which included copious bloodletting and huge doses of poisonous drugs to induce vomiting and defecating with no regulation (Weir 34). Many of these patients that were treated

When it comes to end of life care, there are several options that can be discussed between a patient, their family, and the physician. Whether the patient expresses a desire to fight their disease and escalate care to the fullest extent, or if the patient would prefer to deny treatment and keep themselves comfortable in their last days, options exist. But what about those that are undeniably suffering from a terminal illness that is causing them immense amounts of pain that cannot be controlled strictly with palliative measures and wish to end their own life, by their own hands? Currently, there is no federally approved option

Physician assisted suicide consists of a doctor intentionally providing a patient with the means to commit suicide. It continues to be a controversial issue that is facing our state’s legislatures and is presently legal in only four states including Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and just recently, California. Anna Gorman, an author for Kaiser Health News, published an article in USA Today titled “Disabled Right Advocates Fight Assisted Suicide Legislation.” Gorman’s article explains the dangers of a proposed legislation in California that would legalize prescriptions for terminally ill patients to end their lives. The bill was passed and will be effective for ten years. In her article, Gorman interviews four people who believe that physician

Physician-assisted suicide is an extremely controversial issue. Physician-assisted suicide is when a physician assists a terminally ill patient in ending their life by providing the patient with both the information and medicine necessary for them to carry out the task themselves (Ebrahimi 2012). On October 27, 1997 Oregon passed the Death with Dignity Law, permitting terminally ill state residents to end their lives by giving themselves a lethal dose of medicine prescribed by their doctor (Oregon.gov). There are people who believe that the Death with Dignity Law should be implemented across the nation because it gives people who are already dying from a disease a chance to end their life with dignity, while others believe that doctors

Physician-assisted suicide is “the voluntary termination of one's own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician. Physician-assisted suicide is the practice of providing a competent patient with a prescription for medication for the patient to use with the primary intention of ending his or her own life” (MedicineNet.com, 2004). Many times this ethical issue arises when a terminally-ill patient with and incurable illness, whom is given little time to live, usually less than six-months, has requested a physician’s assistance in terminating one’s life. This practice with the terminally ill is known as euthanasia. Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia is a controversial topic

Many patients consider assisted suicide as an effective alternative solution. Since 1994, patients with a terminal illness within four states including California have a legal right to end life on their own terms in a human and dignifying way with the help in the form of physician – assisted suicide for the purpose of avoiding agonizing suffering if as individuals in society truly own ourselves. Patients who are physically able to swallow the medication in the form of a pill, are prescribed lethal drugs. Unlike Euthanasia, which is in a form of lethal injection that is not legal in the United States, lethal injections are administered by a physician with or without a patient’s consent (Green, "Physician-Assisted Suicide Laws by State), whereas physician – assisted suicide is only given to patients with a terminal diagnosis that is administered themselves privately whenever they choose and can only be prescribed. Physician – assisted suicide is seen as an affordable option for those who cannot afford medical bills, medication or hospice. Though there are states that allow a patient to die with dignity and expresses freedom of choice These same laws that are banned in other states which also argue that states who does not allow physician – assisted suicide violates the rights of the

Modern medical codes prohibit doctors to perform any kind of harmful action on a patient. However in these medical codes, assisted suicide is not mentioned (Medical Ethics). Many believe PAS does not harm the patient, but a generous act to relieve the patient from experiencing more pain than necessary. The patients who ask their doctors to end their lives are gathering all their pride, courage, and strength to have the voice to give such a request. In Oregon Death with Dignity Act: A Guidebook for Health Care Professionals supply information for healthcare professionals for a variety of issues nurses come across in states that allow PAS. Some of guidelines are: the patient needs to provide a fully informed, voluntary decision; applies only to patients who have only six months or less left to live; requires a written and two oral requests from the patient. (Lachman “PAS”). The patients desire a death where suffering and pain is not overcoming their whole mind and body, so there are instructions for the health care team to properly precede with their request without the interference of mistakes and discrimination. If these guidelines were accurately followed by everyone in the medical team, then there should not be a reason to oppose

Physician assisted suicide, or the so-called right-to-die, is a highly controversial issue that has appeared before many state and federal legislators but, has failed to pass in many states due to the huge opposition from groups such as the Catholic Church and disabled-rights organizations. However, physician assisted suicide is when a life ending medication is prescribed by a doctor for the patient, most commonly with a terminal illness, to take on their own. This medication merely accelerates the rate at which the person dies; therefore, it can not be considered suicide because they are only accelerating the rate at which the patient dies (Drum 29-31). In order for a patient to qualify

Though assisted suicide is a humane way to end human suffering, it is still illegal in most US states (ProQuest Staff). Assisted suicide has created many ripples and tears in state governments all over the united states. Oregon legislature began to take action in passing a law called measure 16 or “The Oregon Death with Dignity Act” to make assisted suicide legal in the late 90’s (ProQuest Staff). After Oregon had passed the laws the US government got involved issuing a temporary restraining order and an injunction barring the state from putting Measure 16 into effect (ProQuest Staff). Two years later Oregon residents gain the right to end their lives if they have a terminal illness (ProQuest Staff). Oregon’s law on assisted suicide is there but is very precise as to when and how one can end their life. Patients wanting to obtain a lethal prescription must first, have a serious and incurable illness, and secondly requests for lethal medication must be made no more than six months from death (Wente). After Oregon complications with passing their Death with Dignity Act other states soon began to follow creating their own laws on assisted suicide. The second state in the US to pass these laws was Washington, they passed their version of the act in 2008. After Washington, Montana soon followed in 2010 becoming the third state to pass legislature approving assisted suicide.

In today’s society, assisted-suicide is a highly debatable topic. Due to advancements in medicine and medical technology, that can prolong life and slow down the process of dying, the desire for assisted suicides has increased. Assisted-suicide is when a health care professional provides a patient the knowledge and means to intentionally kill themselves (Harris 2006). An example of assisted-suicide is providing a patient pills to take to end their lives. Patient assisted-suicides are only legal in six states within the United States; Oregon, Washington, Vermont, California, Montana and Colorado (Hudson 2015). In order for an individual to legally qualify the patient must have the capability to effectively communicate their healthcare decision,

Physician-assisted suicide is one of the most controversial procedures in all of modern medicine, and the ethics of the practice have been in question for several years. It is legal in five states in the United States and many countries around the world. The operation involves a trained physician intentionally supplying lethal doses of drugs to a patient who administers the drugs to his or herself. It is a practice that is commonly confused with euthanasia. In euthanasia, the physician is the primary source of administration for the lethal doses because he or she injects the drugs into the patient. There are many reasons as to why one may feel inclined to end his or her own life. The most common of these could be severe depression or terminal illness. These people and patients often find themselves in a deep hole that is impossible to climb out of. Their last resort is to end their physical and emotional pain.