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The Ethical Dilemma Of Euthanasia Essay

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Introduction (Tirsit) “Death is quite often better than what we do to patients” (Pavlish, Brown-Saltzman, Hersh, Shirk, & Rounkle, 2011, p. 390). This quote comes from a palliative care nurse who witnesses the suffering and extreme pain her patients endure on the daily. In this paper we will discuss the ethical dilemma of euthanasia and how it affects the nursing profession, along with the moral issues pertaining to the dilemma. What is the Ethical Dilemma? (Tirsit) Before passing moral judgment on this issue it is imperative that the true definition of euthanasia is stated to shine clarity on the matter. Euthanasia is formally defined as the administration of drugs to a patient with the precise intention of ending the patient’s life at his or her request (Marcoux, 2013). This differs from physician-assisted suicide, in which case the patient receives the life-ending drug from their physician and administers it directly to one’s self. Additionally, we must distinguish this act from other end-of life medical treatments such as withholding treatment, treatment withdrawal and terminal sedation (Marcoux). These treatments consist of CPR, blood transfusions and ceasing life-sustaining treatments such as ventilators. These acts, with proper consent by the patient, are deemed legal and moral. (Marcoux). Thus, while euthanasia shares some similarities with the mentioned treatments they are not the same and this is where the ethical dilemma occurs. It can be reasoned

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