...* Quality of life - only the patient is really aware of what it is like to experience intractable (persistent, unstoppable) suffering; even with pain relievers. Those who have not experienced it cannot fully appreciate what effect it has on quality of life. Apart from physical pain, overcoming the emotional pain of losing independence is an additional factor that only the patient comprehends fully. * Dignity - every individual should be given the ability to die with dignity. Prolongation of dying - if the dying process is unpleasant, the patient should have the right to reduce this unpleasantness. In medicine, the prolongation of living may sometimes turn into the prolongation of dying. Put simply - why should be patient be forced to experience a slow death? Most physicians have received one or more requests to help a patient end his or her life prematurely. This module focuses on the skills that the physician can use to respond both compassionately and with confidence to a request, not on the merits of arguments for or against legalizing physician-assisted suicide (PAS) or euthanasia, but using solid clinical skills. To respond effectively, physicians must know the reasons why patients ask for assistance. Depression, psychosocial factors, and anticipated distress are common reasons, but current physical suffering can also be a factor. Physicians need to be able to assess the root causes of the specific request, make a commitment to the patient’s care, address each...
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...Imagine yourself strapped to a table while a person attaches two metal hooks to hold your eye open. Then he uses an eyedropper to put a substance in your eye to estimate the ability of a test substance to irritate or damage the eye. This kind of needless torture happens hundreds of times every day as scientists don’t even care if the animal is suffering. Animal testing should be banned because we don’t need the next eyeliner and we have a different body system than animals. Claim: My claim is that we should not do animal testing. First Argument: The first reason why is that they kill animals just to have the next medicine,soap, and food ingredient. My first piece of evidence: Right now there are millions of animals such as dogs, cats, rats, mice, and primates getting tortured just to get the next product of eyeliner. In a recent article by PETA they said that “More than 100 million animals every year suffer and die in cruel chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics tests”(PETA), just to see if the products work. There are some countries such as Europe are getting away from buying products that were animal tested. China is different, they are continuing to sell animal cosmetics. What are cosmetics? A product applied to the body, especially the face, to improve its appearance. In 2014 “China spent 26.3 billion dollars, just on cosmetics”(Jeanne Kim). This proves that people should not kill animals just to get the next resource. The second piece...
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...Marijuana, which had once been considered as a lethal drug, is now seen as a mild drug and the number of people demanding it to be legalized has skyrocketed over the last couple of decades. And all this thanks to the media, which have played a pivotal role in bringing about a shift in people’s perception of marijuana. Long back, marijuana was considered as a typically lethal drug. Many movies, novels and celebrities were largely responsible for instilling in people such made up facts about marijuana. “Reefer Madness”, the 1936 cult hit, depicted marijuana as the primary cause for turning two teenagers into sex-crazed murderers. Novels such as “Badge of Evil”, “Casino Royale”, etc were used as strong propaganda against marijuana causing it to be considered as a violence inducing drug. Currently, marijuana does not have the lethal drug status anymore. If we happen to see someone smoking marijuana in a television program, we will definitely not get embarrassed. Although marijuana is illegal in many states of America, it is so popular and a recent study reveals that one in fifteen high school students smoke marijuana almost every day. The 21st Century considers marijuana as a medicine for many debilitating diseases and relief for chronic aches. No doubt, marijuana is a best remedy to increase appetite and thus resolve the weight loss problem in HIV patients. Similarly, marijuana is best to alleviate the intensity of pain in cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy. Marijuana...
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...Polypharmacy Polypharmacy is a phenomena referred to as the intake of multiple medication by a patient, due to multiple medical conditions by a patient. It also is used for the pill burden that a patient has under such circumstances, majorly a problem for elderly people. Sometimes the combination they take may result in a side effect, because of a drug to drug reaction rather than curing. Moreover, due to similar names of the medicines such mishaps could result too. It especially turns into a menace when people self medicate, not knowing about the lethal combinations that may come forward. It is therefore advisable that the doctor should be sought to monitor the prescription. If the patient is feeling that he or she is taking a handful of medicines even that should be brought to limelight. Physicians have their ways to cut down on the number of pills that are being taken at a time, addressing to the problem of polypharmacy. Another important agenda related to polypharmacy that needs to be dealt with is the names of the medication names. Similar name of the medicines is also a cause of undesirable polypharmacy results. To cater to such problems any unusual pattern should not be overlooked i.e. inability to sleep, feeling depressed or any collapses. An indicator of prescription being mishandled and an urgent help is required to avoid any major harmful outcomes. (Fulton, 2005) The purpose of this study is to eradicate medical practices that are dangerous for the people. Apart from...
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...in order to better ascertain the better treatment. It was concluded that the effectiveness of each treatment can only be determined on a case-by-case basis, as the factors of success are often dependent on the patient receiving the treatment. There are various criticisms for both modes of treatment, but no other means of treating opioid addiction have yet to be found. There are improvements that could be made for both treatments, but regardless of improvements each mode of treatment is risky as there is no miracle cure for opioid addiction. Introduction In 1864, The New York State Inebriate Asylum, the first in the country, opened in Binghamton, NY. It was the first of a growing network of inebriate asylums that treated alcoholism and addiction to drugs such as opium, morphine, cocaine, chloral, ether, and chloroform. Today, when talking about opioid addiction and dependency treatments, two controversial but efficient treatments stand out from the lot: Methadone and Suboxone. Methadone Methadone is a highly regulated maintenance medication classified as a schedule II substance (the higher the schedule, the less likely the drug will be abused). It is used in opioid addiction treatment programs and has been around since its approval by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in 1947. As it was implied by the term "maintenance medication", Methadone is not a...
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...legal in all of the United States then citizens would certainly abuse this right. However, the four states that have legalized it, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Montana prove these opinions to be false. Especially in Oregon the Death with Dignity Act set the precedent for Euthanasia legislature by setting limitations on who or who could not be considered to actively take their own life. These limitations included a minimum age of 18 years, a diagnoses of six months to live or less, two oral recommendations from physicians at least fifteen days apart and one written recommendation from a physician before the patient could be qualified for active Euthanasia. These guidelines made the practice of Euthanasia more practical to Americans. In a study conducted by Public Agenda, Gallup Organization, in the year 1950 only twenty-six percent of Americans supported assisted suicide and that number more than doubled in 2003 to seventy-two percent. These information alone proves the progressiveness of this form of mercy, this form of choice that euthanasia gives to those suffering. Euthanasia has many forms and is a positive act for those in extreme pain, it gives terminally ill people the last piece of control, people have the natural right to live and they should have the natural right to die, and it allows patients to exit life in a dignified and graceful manner. To begin with Euthanasia has many forms, active, passive, voluntary, involuntary, and indirect Euthanasia. Active Euthanasia...
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...Ethics Case Study Heather Holcomb University of Phoenix Ethics: Health Care and Social Responsibility HCS 335 Deborah Laughon RN BSN MS DBA January 23, 2012 Ethics Case Study Case Study Jerry McCall is Dr. William’s office assistant. He has received professional training as both a medical assistant and a LPN. He is handling all the phone calls while the receptionist is at lunch. A patient calls and says he must have a prescription refill for Valium, an antidepressant mediation, called in right away to his pharmacy, since he is leaving for the airport in thirty minutes. He says that Dr. Williams is a personal friend and always gives him a small supply of Valium when he has to fly. No one except Jerry is in the office at this time. What should he do? (Fremgen, 2009). Overview Health care providers are faced with making difficult ethical decisions everyday. Moral and value systems influence the ethical decision process, but the law and licensure regulations do as well. This case study is an example of a potential ethical dilemma and a possible breach of the law. The following questions will be explored: 1. Does Jerry’s medical training qualify him to issue this refill order? 2. Would it make a difference if the medication is for controlling high blood pressure that the patient critically needs on a daily basis? 3. If Jerry calls in the refill and the patient has an adverse reaction while flying, is Jerry protected from a lawsuit under the doctrine of respondent...
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...Euthanasia Reflection Euthanasia is defined as the practice of ending a life prematurely in order to end pain and suffering. The process is also sometimes called Mercy Killing. Euthanasia can fall into several categories. Voluntary Euthanasia is carried out with the permission of the person whose life is taken. Involuntary euthanasia is carried out without permission, such as in the case of a criminal execution. The moral and social questions surrounding these practices are the most active fields of research in Bioethics today. Many Supreme Court cases, such as Gonzales v. Oregon and Baxter vs. Montana, also surround this issue. Voluntary euthanasia is typically performed when a person is suffering from a terminal illness and is in great pain. When the patient performs this procedure with the help of a doctor, the term assisted suicide is often used. It is also legal in the state of Oregon, Washington and Montana. Passive euthanasia is carried out by terminating a medication that is keeping a patient alive or not performing a life-saving procedure. Active euthanasia involves the administration of a lethal drug or otherwise actively ending the life. These two types of procedures carry different moral and social issues. Euthanasia Controversy My opinion or point of view about euthanasia,There is a lot of controversy surrounding the issue and whether or not it should be legal. From a legal standpoint, the Encyclopedia of American Law categorizes mercy killing as a class of criminal homicide...
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...Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Part 1 Grand Canyon University April 26, 2013 Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Part 1 Voluntary and assisted euthanasia have been and will continue to be one of the most controversial ethical debates in the medical field. Euthanasia stems from the Greek language: eu meaning good and thanatos meaning death. The practice of voluntary euthanasia is when the patient requests to die but someone else has to perform the act, for example removing the patient from all life-sustaining equipment or giving a lethal injection. Where as the definition of assisted suicide is a physician prescribes a lethal dose of medication and the patient on his or her own will have to perform the act of consuming the medication to cause death. There are many ethical implications that arise from either option. “In the balance are crucial issues: personal autonomy, dignity, compassion, ending suffering, protection of the vulnerable, promotion of good palliative care, and redefinition of the role of the physician in death and dying” (Van Norman, (2012). It is imperative for nurses to be conscious of their obligations professionally, educated on the laws surrounding the issue, who the stakeholders involved are, the impact on social values/morals, and the ethical theories and principals involved. Nursing Obligation According to the American Nurses Association nurses are never allowed to have any part in euthanasia, such actions would be a direct violation of the...
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...performing a deliberate act resulting in the voluntary death of the person who does it” (Webster’s online dictionary). Suicide has been decriminalized in the US; but Physician-Assisted Suicide is legal in only three states, making it very difficult for terminally ill patients throughout the country to die with dignity. Although other states are considering this legality, only Oregon, Washington, and Montana can legally assist the terminally ill in suicide. With these laws in place, there are very strict guidelines that are followed for a patient to be eligible for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS). The Webster’s dictionary defines PAS as, “…suicide by a patient facilitated by means (as a drug prescription) or by information (as an indication of a lethal dosage) provided by a physician aware of the patient’s intent” (Webster’s online dictionary). Any terminally ill patient in any state, who has been given less than six months to live, should have the legal option to PAS. Patients have a right to refuse treatment; legally, they can commit suicide in their own homes, and they should be able to have the option of PAS. There are very strict guidelines for eligibility in the three states where PAS is legal. In his article, “Physician Assisted Suicide: A New Look at the Arguments”, J.M. Dieterle, a professor at Eastern Michigan University describes these guidelines in great length. The patient must be over 18 years of age and diagnosed with a terminal illness with a prognosis of less than six...
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..."There are no recorded cases of overdose fatalities attributed to cannabis, and the estimated lethal dose for humans extrapolated from animal studies is so high that it cannot be achieved," stated in a 1995 report prepared by the World Health Organization. (Medical Marijuana Mall USA, 2013). Medical marijuana is safer than prescription drugs, alcohol, and spice. Marijuana is more beneficial to use than prescription drugs because of the lack of serious side effects. The most common side effects of marijuana are coughing, wheezing, and bronchitis. These side effects are easily taken care of by using a vaporizer or preparing foods with marijuana. Marijuana is less dependable than prescription medication such as pain killers. Prescription medications are now killing more people in the United States than illegal street drugs. Even more importantly the consumption of marijuana cannot result in a fatal overdose. (Medical Marijuana Mall USA, 2013). Someone can’t even take a Tylenol or Aspirin without there being serious side effects to the liver and other organs in the body. Medical marijuana is not lethal, prescription and even non-prescription pills, powders, liquids, and injections are. (Medical Marijuana Project, 2012). A CBS news editorial by Dr. Mitch Earleywine mentions that medical marijuana can be marked cheaper to use than certain prescription drugs. This is especially relevant to patients in chronic pain who do not have medical insurance and need to pay out of...
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...Certain problems or factors may occur within the psychological, medical, or social realms contributing to the thoughts of suicide. It has been identified that suicide among the elderly is not an impulsive act, but is an act that has been contemplated for a long period of time. When the elderly attempts suicide, he/she usually has a profound death wish and usually selects ways that are more likely to fulfill that wish. Studies have shown that age by itself does not cause suicidal behavior. However, the change in behavior and self-esteem necessitated in the elderly may cause more stress and depression due to the inability to find satisfaction in their new situation. Unfortunately, they believe there are no solutions to their problems, they feel they are a burden to others, especially family members, they perceive themselves as powerless to change their circumstances or situations, and they find that life has no meaning. Sometimes the distressing acts of suicide tend to happen without warning, thus lessening the chances of prevention. However, in some cases warning signs may be prevalent among the elderly and should be reported...
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...It is important however, for these doctors to consider the times in which they are out of options to save a life, and prolonging it will only cause pain and suffering. When considering PAS/D as a human right and the correlative duties imposed onto others to have it as a human right, it is essential to ensure people would be willing to take part in these duties and that these duties would not be imposing unreasonable costs on the person. In one study, seventy-three percent of the physicians interviewed said that if PAS/D were legal they would be willing to refer the patient to someone who offers that service, or possible offer the lethal dose themselves. Out of the one-thousand-fifty-seven doctors interviewed, forty-sex percent of them indicated that in some cases, they themselves would be completely willing to prescribe the lethal dose of medication should the practice of PAS/D be made completely legal. (Lee, et al., 1996) From this information it is made very clear that should PAS/D be legalized world wide, there are those who would be wiling to assist in its...
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...Physicians-Assisted Suicide Physician-Assisted Suicide is a medical process where a physician supplies a terminally ill patient with a prescription for one dose of lethal medication. The prescription is given to a patient upon request only if the patient intends to end his or her own life because of suffrage from a terminal illness. Today, physicians-assisted suicide is more commonly known as the Death-With-Dignity Act. Recent stories of patients who have attempted to end their own life by lethal medication have made countless headlines concerning the topic throughout many informational sources. Currently, the states of Washington, Oregon, and Vermont are the only three states that have adopted the Death-With-Dignity Act. Physician-Assisted Suicide is among many practices that aid in ending a patient’s life along with DNR’s, DNI’s, and AND’s, when life-sustaining treatments are denied. Physicians-Assisted Suicide is much more controversial than other life ending methods because it enables a patient to end her or her own life in a way that many individuals feel is immoral and unethical. The ethical issues of physicians-assisted suicide are both emotional and controversial, yet healthcare workers deal with a request for this alternative every day. Is physicians-assisted suicide the answer? The question doesn’t come by an easy answer. However, both sides of the debate, either for it or against it, provide strong, concrete points that help truly uncover where the controversy lies...
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...down state statutes banning physician-assisted suicide. Those courts had found that the statutes, which prohibited doctors from prescribing lethal medication to competent, terminally ill adults, violated the 14th Amendment. In striking the appellate decisions, the U.S. Supreme Court found that there was no constitutional "right to die," but left it to individual states to enact legislation permitting or prohibiting physician-assisted suicide. (The full text of these decisions, plus reports and commentary, can be found at the Washinton Post web site.) As of April 1999, physician-assisted suicide is illegal in all but a handful of states. Over thirty states have enacted statutes prohibiting assisted suicide, and of those that do not have statutes, a number of them arguably prohibit it through common law. In Michigan, Jack Kevorkian was initially charged with violating the state statute, in addition to first-degree murder and delivering a controlled substance without a license. The assisted suicide charge was dropped, however, and he was eventually convicted of second degree murder and delivering a controlled substance without a license. Only one state, Oregon, has legalized assisted suicide. The Oregon statute, which went into effect in October 1997, provides that a doctor may prescribe, but not administer, a lethal dose of medication to a patient who has less than six months to live. Two doctors must agree that the patient is mentally competent and that the decision was...
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