The Importance Of The End Of Life Bill Of Rights

The change which is outlined in this paper relates to how early referral of terminally ill patients into a hospice program results in better patient outcomes, in particular, with regard to pain management. PICO format question will be used , along with a supportive body of evidence regarding the fact that early onset into a hospice program is helpful with providing end of life pain

The United States Declaration of Independence states in its preamble, “We hold these truths to be self evident... that [all men] are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (“Declaration of Independence”). According to an article from io9, researchers found that the most common reasons for wanting the right to die was, “loss of [independence], inability to engage in enjoyable activities, and a loss of dignity” (“Why You Should Fight”). Being ill-stricken, immobile, and attached to machine with no hope of a cure is not living. And just

The movie “Wit” is a great educational tool for healthcare professionals in terms of dealing with terminally ill patients. It teaches that nurses and medical professionals should always remember that their patients are not a case nor illness nor experiment but rather human beings with souls and pains. Palliative care is one of the most disputed issues of worldwide importance. While bureaucrats in different countries are making laws on the use of palliative drugs, patients with excruciating pains learn how to “take deep breaths and be strong” (Nichols & Brokaw, 2001). That is what nurse Susie Monahan from “Wit” advises her dying patient Vivian Bearing suffering from unbearable pains due to stage IV ovarian cancer after eight painful rounds

The first priority for the car of the patients facing severe pain as result of a terminal illness, or chronic condition should be the relief of their pain. Techniques of Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) enhance the sense of control of terminally ill patient’s, and for this specific reason, are particulary effective. Often it’s the loss of control, rather than physical pain, that casues the most suffering for dying patient’s. In contrast, those that arefor assisted suicide, are that it’s a patient’s right to decide whether they want to live or die. Physician-assisted suicide opens the door that carry far greater risk. For example, if assisted suicide is permitted and legalized, then there is a strong argument for allowing euthanasia. It would be arbituary to permit patient’s who have the physical ability to take a pill to end their lives, but not let similarly suffering patient’s die if they require the lethal drug. Once euthanasia is permitted, there is a serious risk of involuntay deaths.

In almost every case of a terminal disease, pain is intolerable and seeing someone in such agony is heartbreaking. For example, Brittany Maynard, a 29 year old brain cancer patient who had to move to Oregon so she can avail of the Death with Dignity act. “Maynard knew that her form of brain cancer would be excruciating. She would endure swelling of the brain that would very likely cause seizures, painful headaches and the gradual loss of bodily function. Doctors know that for about 5 percent of the population, no amount of morphine can block the agonizing pain the terminally ill endure” (EDITORIAL: Dying with dignity). Palliative care can often be provided for the dying patients and alleviating pain to provide comfort for the dying has always been the priority. “Palliative care focuses on relieving the symptoms, particularly the pain, of incurable illness.” (Palliative Care) But, in relieving pain through the prescribed medications there are also side effects that are caused by the prescribed pain suppressors and two examples will be lethargy and it compromises breathing. In most cases the effectivity of the pain medication may no longer alleviate the pain. If a patient will be in such agony for the remaining days or weeks the quality of life is no longer present. The agony of pain prevents a patient from performing even just the bodily functions.

A woman is thrashing in bed and crying from the pain her illness is causing her to feel. Her family rushes to find a nurse nearby to administer pain relieving medication. A nurse comes by to give palliative care to the woman that’s in agony. However, the strongest medication that’s at hand cannot relieve the pain without overdosing the patient. The terminally ill patient now has to live with intractable pain for the remaining days of her life. Physician Assisted Death is sometimes necessary in case state-of-the-art palliative care no longer works on the cancer patient. Terminal patients should have the option to control the circumstances surrounding their inevitable deaths with Physician Assisted Death to treat the pain.

Adequate pain and symptom management is an essential component of palliative and end-of-life care and has a direct impact on patient and caregiver experience. In September 2014, the Champlain CCAC, in collaboration with regional pharmacies, service provider organizations, the Regional Palliative Consultation Team and community palliative care physicians, introduced a Champlain Wide Pain and Symptom Management Kit (SMK). The SMK is a standard package of medications and related medical supplies placed in the home of a patient who is approaching the end-of-life for the purpose of relieving unanticipated or rapidly escalating symptoms in a timely manner.

People tend to forget about the families of the patients. The families are by a patient's side constantly making sure they are not in pain during their last days. According to life organization "Surprisingly the drugs were given nearly as often "for the comfort" of the patient's family as they were give to reduce the suffering of the patient themselves... [Additionally] in four out of every five cases, nurses who had discretion in administering drugs said that they were treating the patients for the comfort of their loved ones." It is hard for people to see their family members suffering and in pain. According to this article pain medications are often just as comforting for the family members because it hurts the family to see their loved one in pain. With the help of doctor assisted suicide, a patient will be able to end their lives when i'm a large amount of pain instead of suffering until the end. This will provide families with relief knowing that their loved one is ready to die and not in pain. The families will be revealed of the burden and guilt if their last memory of their loved one is of them happy, not suffering facing death. This can be reassuring to families. Knowing their loved one died with dignity and was ready to die. An an example of a burden on family members is the Terri Schiavo

Pain control is one of the central goals of hospice care. Every person facing a serious illness hopes for as little pain as possible. Fortunately, with

Modern medical expertise has achieved remarkable achievements in lengthening the lives of humans. Ventilators can support a patient’s weakening lungs and pills can sustain that patient’s bodily processes. For those patients who have a genuine chance of surviving a sickness or accident, medical technology is science’s greatest gift to mankind. For the terminally ill, however, it is just a means of prolonging suffering. Medicine is supposed to alleviate the suffering that a patient undergoes. Yet the only thing that medical technology does for a dying patient is give that patient more pain and agony day after day and cause them to spend more money that could go to help their family after the patient passes away. Some terminal patients in the past have gone to their doctors and asked for a final medication that would take all the pain away— lethal drugs. For example, imagine a woman who was suffering from a severe case of rheumatoid arthritis, begged her doctor to assist her to die because she could no longer stand the pain. Another example is a lady with an inoperable brain

Many people argue that humans have the right to life but unknowingly they agree that they have a right to death as well. Just as a coin has two sides: heads or tails so does the human life, it has life and death. Life cannot occur without death. As you live your practice your right to life and as you die you practice your right to die. With that being said, everyone should have the right to end their life if and only if they are terminally ill with no chances of living beyond their expected death

The greatest freedom for any individual is to live and to die on your own personal terms, desires and beliefs. People have choices when it comes to “end-of-life” such as, advanced care directives, to physician-assisted dying, and death with dignity, which is a movement that provides options for terminally ill to control their own “end-of-life” care. The term “assisted suicide” is a term used to explain a process where a doctor physically engages in a procedure, in which death will occur to an individual that is terminally ill, via directly or indirectly. “Voluntary termination of one’s own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect

Pain and comfort as a rule are considered opposing in the needs of human beings. Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with potential tissue damage. Pain can be divided into categories of long-term pain or short-term pain and by the type of pain, level of pain, location of pain, and ease of solving the pain. Frequently, there is no way to completely manage pain, specifically in end-of-life care. Pain is at

The “Right to die” act should be an option. If you don’t want to fight your disease or you have fought your disease for a long time “The right to die act” should be available. Paragraph four lines ten-twelve claims that “people should have the option to possess the choice to fight a noble fight or die a noble death”. Assuming that you don’t want to be bound to a hospital bed and having the ability to barely do nothing you should have “The right to die act”. Paragraph two line eight states that “Disease takes away so many choices and puts many people at the mercy of doctors and nurses.”. The terminally ill want to make their final choice before staying in a hospital bed for the rest of their life. In the case that you have no one to care for you then you should have “The right to die act.” available to you. Paragraph five lines one-three reveals to us that not all people don’t have people don’t have anyone to help them with their disease. There are a lot of people that are lonely and sick at the same time. The “right to die act” is something that should be a choice.

As American citizens, we are protected by individual liberties and the Bill of Rights. The purpose of the Bill of Rights is simple; it is to ensure that the American citizens are guaranteed a substantial number of personal freedoms. What if a person’s dying wish was to die on his or her own terms? Dying on peoples own terms, seems like it would be a constitutional freedom, but sadly, it is not. Image a loved one, a friend, or a family member struck with immeasurable pain faced with a terminal and intolerable illness. This patient would have to go through agonizing pain to fight a battle they cannot win, for the disease has already won. When faced with pain and death, neither the government, nor doctors should have a say other than the patients themselves when choosing to end their life. The decision or ‘the Right To Die’ is solely for that person to make. The decision to end one’s life should be a personal freedom.