...CASE STUDY: TERRI SCHIAVO CASE Legal Case Study: The Terri Shiavo Case University of Phoenix Legal Case Study: Terri Schiavo Case Terri Schiavo sustained a permanent brain injury on February 25, 1990. She did not have a living will or a durable power of attorney. Her husband, Michael Shiavo, was appointed her legal guardian. Because Ms. Shiavo was unable to swallow, a feeding tube kept her alive and nourished. Later that year, she was determined to be in a persistent vegetative state (PVS). Throughout the early 1990’s, Mr. Shiavo worked hard with his wife’s health care team, providing her with extensive rehabilitation, which included physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Despite this effort, Ms. Shiavo’s condition did not improve. After he accepted his wife’s prognosis, he worked to follow through with what he stated were her beliefs that she would not want to continue to be kept alive through the means of artificial life support. Her parents disagreed with his convictions of what his wife would want, and subsequently the most watched ethical dilemma played out for the world to see. (Perry, Churchill, & Kirshner, 2005). This case has been the focus of medical, legal, theological, ethical, political, and social controversy nationwide. The case alone threatened to undo thirty years of ethical and legal progress enabling individuals to control and limit medical interventions performed on them. (Hook & Mueller, 2005). This paper will discuss the ethical importance...
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...Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Part 2 Gary Bigge, Diana Hanakahi, Jennifer Lockwood, Sheryl Murray, Alex Warkenthien Grand Canyon University Ethics NRS 437V Linnette Nolte March 3, 2013 Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma Part 2 As a continuation of a previous study, the Grand Canyon University Team White Ethics Committee further examines the dilemma of euthanasia. Four individual personal interviews were conducted and the results are included below. The Team White Ethics Committee has been tasked with the challenge of comparing similarities and differences between the cases we have studied and making a recommendation on each case based on our interviews and personal beliefs. The first case was Dax (Busada, 2011) and the second case was Terry Schiavo (Springs, 2009). Interview #1 To receive a spiritual leader’s perspective about euthanasia, Pastor Sandy Ash of Harbor Chapel Community Church in Moss Landing, California was interviewed. The interview started by giving Pastor Ash a brief background regarding both the Dax and Terry Schiavo stories. When asked about her view on euthanasia, Pastor Ash stated, “If it’s a person who doesn’t want to live then there’s still hope and they shouldn’t give up since there is no machine keeping them alive. There’s a lot to live for” (Ash, 2013). Pastor Ash also added, “It depends on what stage. If there’s a machine then the person should let them go if they want to go, if that’s their wish” (Ash, 2013). With Terry’s case, she...
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...Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma, Impact of Voluntary/Assisted Euthanasia Luellen Lawler, Soma Philip, Annamma Anto, and Janice Haddock Team Green, Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care 437 V Dr. Ann Leslie Claesson September 01, 2012 Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma, Impact of Voluntary/Assisted Euthanasia There are several topics in the field of biomedical ethics that are controversial and by nature require careful examination of one’s own values and viewpoints. The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of voluntary or assisted euthanasia and the ethical implications it entails in relation to the profession of nursing. Nurses have the responsibility to act in their patient’s best interests. However, that may become difficult in the event that a patient asks for help in the task of ending his or her own life. There were two case scenarios provided for review concerning the topic of voluntary or assisted euthanasia. The common ethical implication among nurses involved in these particular cases seems to be the ambivalence they experience in relation to their level of involvement. Although nurses worldwide are confronted with euthanasia requests from patients, the views of nurses on their level of involvement in euthanasia remains unclear (Dierkx de Casterle, Verpoort, De Bal, & Gastmans, 2006). It stands to reason that palliative care nurses in particular, would have the highest frequency of experience with patients who are...
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