...Euthanasia Euthanasia is an assisted suicide, also known as mercy killing. In other words, it is the act of killing someone who has a painful incurable disease. Actually, euthanasia is a very controversial issue. Some people claim that it is a solution for patients who are terminally ill. However, I totally disagree with this kind of solution. 3.1 Autonomy People's autonomy or self-determination is an important concept in the debate on legalizing euthanasia. Proponents argue that the ban on euthanasia imposes too great a limit on the individual's scope for controlling the end of his or her life and what shape death will take. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that self-determination would be false autonomy with respect to euthanasia, or...
Words: 1302 - Pages: 6
...In Margaret Battin’s article, ‘Euthanasia: The Fundamental Issues’, she argues for the right of a painless killing for those suffering from medical conditions. She suggests that there are three moral principles: mercy, autonomy, and justice, which favor the legalization of this practice. Battin’s arguments will then be critiqued further by issues such as the Hippocratic Oath and physician’s abuse in power. This paper will conclude that moral justification for euthanasia on the same grounds of mercy, autonomy and justice cannot be reached. Active euthanasia involves directly stopping bodily processes that otherwise would have been capable of sustaining life, providing direct help for the patient to die (Battin, 321). Unlike passive euthanasia, which is the act of allowing the patient to die...
Words: 2190 - Pages: 9
...Grand Canyon University Nrs-437 November 7, 2015 Nurses have been playing very important roles in the caring of patients throughout the continuum of life and at the end of life for years. It is the position of the ANA that participation of nurses in euthanasia is prohibited as those acts are in contradiction of the code of ethics for nurses. Nurses have a duty to provide humane, comprehensive and compassionate care in respect to the rights of patients, but maintain the standard of the profession in the presence of chronic, debilitating illness and at the end of life. Voluntary euthanasia is the act of taking a life painlessly especially to relief suffering from an incurable illness, with the consent of a dying patient. Denying people such wishes can lead to unnecessary suffering. There are two types of euthanasia; involuntary, where patients refuse to consent and non-voluntary, patients unable to consent. Euthanasia can have great impact on the society. It affects everyone one way or another. Although a person has autonomy to make decisions about his end of life care doesn’t take away from the fact that their family and friends will be affected with guilt, anger and bitterness. Voluntary euthanasia can hamper efforts to advance medical research in finding cures for diseases (Saunders, 2011). As the nurse taking care of a terminally ill patient, the husband confides in you that he promised his dying wife that he would assist her in taking her own life when the...
Words: 2650 - Pages: 11
...care issues that I chose to write about is euthanasia. I will examine and evaluate how the four principles of autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice apply to this issue. The most recent person that exercised her autonomy to choose how she died and the time of her death was Brittany Maynard. Brittany died in Oregon, a state which allows physicians to assist terminally ill persons by prescribing life-ending medications (Egan, 2014). Is the right-to-die with dignity by choice ever going to be acceptable in the health care community? Euthanasia is defined as the act of being put to death painlessly by refusing treatment or the withdrawing of life support to avoid suffering the effects of a debilitating illness or incurable disease. According to the legal system, euthanasia is considered murder when assisted and suicide when patients take their lives. In many countries, euthanasia is not allowed and is punishable by law. Oregon became the first state in the United States in 1997 to make physician-assisted suicide legal. Attempts to have the law in Oregon overturned have been unsuccessful (Britannica, 2015). As more consumers become educated on diseases and their debilitating effects, more consumers may choose euthanasia as an alternative to suffering. Autonomy is the act of making one's choices without the controlling influence of others (Morrison, 2011). The law seems to interfere with the choice of euthanasia by not supporting individuals when it is the...
Words: 1107 - Pages: 5
... Euthanasia, the act of killing oneself in order to end pain and suffering, is illegal in the majority of the states in the nation. Euthanasia should be legalized in order to promote autonomy, personal decisions, and the quality of life. Oppositions to legalizing euthanasia include morality, religious beliefs, concern for medical staff violating the Hippocratic Oath, and fear of abuse of the act. Some states have made euthanasia legal under strict circumstances; the rest of the nation should soon follow. Introduction “Dogs do not have many advantages over people, but one of them is extremely important: euthanasia is not forbidden by law in their case; animals have the right to a merciful death” (Kundera, 1999). Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. It is a common practice among household pets as a humane way to end their lives if they are suffering. Euthanasia in relation to humans is illegal in the United States as well as many other countries across the world. It is bizarre to think that animals have the right to die when their owners believe they are suffering and in distress, but humans are not granted that same opportunity. Euthanasia, practiced most commonly on animals, has three distinct types in relation to the euthanasia of humans. Voluntary euthanasia, which requires consent from the patient; non-voluntary euthanasia, which means the consent of the patient is unavailable, such as child euthanasia and...
Words: 2974 - Pages: 12
...“Duty over a Right: Euthanasia Weighed” “Duty over a Right: Euthanasia Weighed” Euthanasia is a highly emotive and contentious subject, giving rise to a great deal of conflicts. However, despite its frequent exposure in public and professional media, there appears to be a lack of clarity about the concepts and definitions used in the euthanasia controversy. This suggests that discussions on this subject are inadequately informed and ineffectual. The ethical focus of the euthanasia issue concerns the moral legitimacy of ‘voluntary euthanasia.’ Euthanasia is a deliberate intervention or omission with the express intention of hastening or ending an individual’s life, to relieve intractable pain or suffering. As per the given problem of a 60 year old patient with stage 4 cancer asking for euthanasia, I would choose to be the lawyer of the doctor who refuses to perform euthanasia. ETHICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS My client’s refusal of performing euthanasia is primarily because the act itself is against the principles of Beneficence, Nonmaleficence and Life Preservation. By virtue of the Principle of Beneficence, one should act to further the welfare and benefits of another and to prevent evil or harm to that person. Also, the Principle of Nonmaleficence provides that one should refrain from inflicting harm or unduly risking the infliction of harm on another. Lastly, we have a moral duty to protect and preserve human life whenever possible as within the context of life preservation...
Words: 668 - Pages: 3
...Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma (Part Three) Euthanasia as a dilemma is convoluted, controversial and a sensitive matter for the reason that it concerns a person’s life, concerns his/her culture, belief, religion and their outlook about life and death. Euthanasia is a term that describes engaging in deliberate action, directly or indirectly, with the intention of ending one’s life to relieve them of their pain and suffering (Levy, Azar, Huberfeld, Siegel, & Strous, 2013). To the majority, this meaning lacks lucidity and uniformity which results in serious debate. This paper will provide a brief overview of euthanasia, discuss autonomy as a resolution to this dilemma and also recount the perspectives of three individuals who agreed to be interviewed...
Words: 951 - Pages: 4
...Euthanasia Priya John BSN, RN ST Joseph’s College , Maine Nursing Ethics NU 509 December 13, 2012 Abstract The controvertible topic of euthanasia provokes moral reflection on the care for dying patients. Euthanasia not only raises questions about the morality of a particular decision regarding the care of an individual patient but also an ethics of having a specific social approach and convention. Through this article I have presented my thoughts about legalizing euthanasia. Euthanasia Introduction Death and dying are issues of deep humane concern for many people in a variety of circumstances and contexts. Around the world the point of someone’s death is regularly prominence by medical end-of-life decisions. These decisions refer to a variety of choices with regard to withholding or withdrawing life sustaining treatments. Debates on voluntary or active euthanasia, in all its aspect, proceed without a solution or prospect of resolution. Since there is no substantial middle ground on which all can agree, the discussion does not progress far beyond an exchange of opinions, however well informed the participants. The arguments for euthanasia have to do with quality of life and respect for autonomy .Arguments against euthanasia have to do with non-maleficence, sanctity of life, and the notion of the slippery slope. Definitions of Euthanasia “Euthanasia is defined as act of administering medication or performing other interventions with the intention of causing a patient's death”...
Words: 823 - Pages: 4
...Ethical Consideration of Euthanasia as an End of Life Decision Euthanasia is the act of intentionally causing the death of someone to end pain and suffering that they are experiencing. Euthanization encompasses many controversial variables that must be perceived when deciding whether or not it should be allowed and the ethics behind it. There are different aspects of euthanasia, such as active and passive methods that must be considered; where active is physically initiating death and passive is letting an individual die by removing or withholding treatment. There are also cultural aspects that affect people’s decisions and beliefs on the ethical reasoning with euthanasia. A person’s autonomy must also be considered in the decision making...
Words: 1725 - Pages: 7
...Legalizing Euthanasia: A Practical Approach Theressa Thacker RN Excelsior College Abstract We are all in the process of dying from the day we are born. The prevalence of catastrophic diseases that once killed swiftly such as pneumonia, cholera, and massive heart attacks, have been replaced by chronic and, often, degenerative diseases such as advanced cancers, diabetes, lung disease, and Alzheimer’s, leading to a slow death for most (Gardner, 2012). This places a great financial burden on the Medicare system as well as patient’s families. Atul Gawande (2010) reports that twenty five percent of all Medicare spending is for the five percent of patients who are in their final year of life, and most of that money goes for care in their last couple of months, which is of little apparent benefit (p. 3). Even more concerning is the suffering that many patients are forced to endure due to the lack of other options. Patients must have the right to make autonomous decisions regarding the end of their lives. They need to be confident that those decisions will be upheld, even if they conflict with the wishes of their families or physicians. However, patient confidence in knowing that their final wishes will be met is complicated by a lack of education and empowerment for those who face these difficult decisions (Frank & Anselmi, 2011). The purpose of this essay is to discuss the benefits to patient autonomy and the Medicare budget, by the legalization of physician-assisted...
Words: 2318 - Pages: 10
...Nys, 2003). The medical resources are accessible and it is possible keeping any personality from biological death for some time. Because of this, we have to decide resolutely when it is permissible to end life. Is there a way of limiting such decisions? If it is permissible to remove or withdraw medication, with the unswervingly foreseeable result that the patient in question will die? In essence, is there an ethically relevant disparity between intentionally withdrawing medication, with the predictable and intended results of the patient’s death with an equal consequence? My first argument has a basis on the deontological perspective. Deontological arguments base on the assumptions of absolute morality and used against the act of euthanasia in health care. These hypotheses forbid actions emphasizing on their physical effects. From a deontological opinion, it is the intention of an act, for instance, respect for rights, principles or obligations instead of rightness or wrongness of consequences that establish morality. This means that in any phenomenon when faced with a tough decision regarding whether to aid someone to die, the actions should be moved by love. This implies that ignoring any hard and fast rule and acting according to...
Words: 963 - Pages: 4
...Running head: ANALYSIS OF AN ETHICAL DILEMMA Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma NRS 437V December 11, 2011 Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Euthanasia, sometimes referred to as mercy killing, is an act by a third party that causes a patient’s death. Such acts include administering a lethal dose of medication by way of injection or mask, usually to a seriously ill patient. This analysis will discuss the ethics of euthanasia as it relates to nursing, laws, society, and the stakeholders involved in the scenario. The American Nurses Association (ANA) believes that the nurse should not participate in Active euthanasia because such an act is in direct violation of the Code for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, the ethical traditions and goals of the profession, and its covenant with society. (Task Force on the Nurse's Role in End-of-Life Decisions, 2011) While patient advocates should be vigilant for providing diligent care, they should perform their tasks with respect, support and due commitment towards their care. In healthcare practice, in order to relieve pain and suffering, there is an obligation to promote dignity and autonomy of patients. Euthanasia is a complex issue in which nurses are uncomfortable determining the life and death of a patient. Nurses have to practice ethical principles of beneficence, which maximize benefit and reduce potential risk and harm to the patient. Non-malfeasance is another ethical issue in which a nurse should do no harm. A competent...
Words: 1165 - Pages: 5
...Exploring History and Theories in Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide: An Annotated Bibliography The ethical considerations for euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (PAS) have been debated for decades. As this topic evolves from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, nurses must be prepared to help manage individual cases, as well as participate in shaping the end of life field. If we understand the history of practicing jurisdictions and the evolution of euthanasia and PAS, we can help develop and manage a prudent course of action. Regardless of the nurse’s personal views, this polarizing ethical issue requires a commitment to comprehending the laws of the jurisdiction and adherence to professional responsibilities. Pereira, J. (2011) Legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide: the illusion of safeguards and controls. Current Oncology, 18, e38-e45. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3070710/pdf/conc-18-e38.pdf The bioethics article offers an extensive body of work that empirically analyzes the effectiveness of boundaries with euthanasia and PAS. The author contends that policy dictates mandatory reporting of euthanasia in practicing countries, but warns of several “transgressions” that occur within the current procedural structure. The main body of the article provides examples and studies to fortify the significant frequency of these transgressions. The slippery slope argument is also addressed. Where by the author documents the historical...
Words: 1995 - Pages: 8
...Professor McDonald PHL 154: Moral Foundations December 10, 2012 Voluntary Active Euthanasia: Morally Impermissible Voluntary active euthanasia can be defined as “the intentional and direct termination of a person's life when that person is terminally ill or when his or her death is imminent, and where that person is a competent adult who voluntarily, consistently and repeatedly requests the termination of his or her life. A terminally ill person is defined as one who has an incurable or irreversible condition which is highly likely to cause his or her death within a relatively short time (six months or less) with or without treatment.” In the recent election, Massachusetts voters had an opportunity to allow such a procedure as a ballot referendum. Regardless of whether it is legally permissible or not, voluntary active euthanasia (hereafter “VAE”) is morally impermissible. A Natural Law Argument According to the ethics of natural law, “our primary life goal should be to realize as fully as we can our potential as human beings” (Harris 91). To do this, people should use the standard of human nature to act in a way that is in accordance with human nature (92). Our human nature is determined by the common natural inclinations of humans (93). Human nature can be determined the goals humans collectively strive for (93). These ‘natural inclinations’, as referred to by Aquinas, “reflect the structure of our human nature, which natural law directs us to follow” (93). ...
Words: 2397 - Pages: 10
...| | |Euthanasia | |Pros and Cons of Euthanasia | | | |Lisa Rohn | |10/20/2010 | |Euthanasia is a highly controversial topic among many political and religious groups. The purpose of this project is to detail the facts of | |Euthanasia and to list the pros and cons surrounding the topic. Euthanasia is prohibited in the United States. However I will show that | |patients practice forms of this “mercy killing” legally each day while exercising their right to die. This project will list guidelines in | |which Euthanasia should be legalized and give arguments as to why the decision should be the sole right of the suffering individual. | Imagine that your mother...
Words: 2262 - Pages: 10
