Physician Assisted Suicide Case Study

Thirty-six year old James Foster accompanied by his wife Megan signs his do-not-resuscitate order (DNR). Both Mr. Foster and his wife are understanding of what a do-not-resuscitate order is and are in agreeance. James has stage IV prostate cancer, but he is young and his wife believes he will pull through. A month passes, and early one morning James stops breathing, the patient is coding. Nurse Compton rushes in along with other medical professionals. Mrs. Foster is screaming, “Save him. Save him. Do whatever it takes to save him. Do not let him die.” Nurse Compton knows that Mr. Foster has a do-not-resuscitate order on file and feels not only sad in regards to the situational pain that Mrs. Foster is exhibiting, but morally conflicted with

The thing that kept Steven going was the thought that Jeffrey having cancer was going to be a mistake. During Jeffrey’s stay at the Philadelphia Children's hospital Steven was kept unnotified of how Jeffrey was doing. Apart of that he was getting no attention whatsoever from either of his parents. Steven felt forgotten and this brought anger. Through journals from Miss Palma’s class he wrote about how nobody had thought about how he was feeling about this situation. However when Jeffrey and his mother returned from Philadelphia Steven learned that the thoughts he had was wrong.

According to Paul J. van der Wal et al. in ¨Euthanasia, Physician-Assisted Suicide, and Other Medical Practices Involving the End of Life in the Netherlands, 1990–1995¨, he addresses that assisted suicide should be legal and regulated. The authors’ purpose of writing this journal article is to make reliable estimates of euthanasia; to describe patients and physicians, and to evaluate changes between 1990 and 1995. Even though assisted suicide is a growing taboo, it is being practiced more each and every day. Paul J. van der Wal et al. chose to conduct two studies to answer their hypotheses.

Should physician-assisted suicide be legal? Physician-assisted suicide should be legalized. People should finally have the choice if they wanted to. It could relieve suffering and help whoever wants to die peacefully. It could help a lot of people in the world. 79% of people say that physician-assisted suicide be legal. However it should not be legalized.

Physician-Assisted suicide (PSA) is the voluntary termination of a life by prescription medication given by a doctor. Five states in the United States, including California, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Montana, have given the public the choice to end their lives with prescription medication. In Montana, the choice to end a person’s life is made through the court’s decision. In Oregon, the physician must also be willing to go through with the choices of the patient. The physician who is to give the medicine must be a licensed doctor of medicine. Those who want to end their lives must be terminally ill and have less than 6 months to live. Physician-Assisted suicide is often confused with euthanasia. The difference between the two is that PSA is the request and consent of an ill patient who knows how they would like to pass. Euthanasia is the intent of ending a life to relieve pain or suffering through mercy. Ill patients, who have 6 months or less to live, should be given the choice to end their lives how they would like to.

Recent decriminalization of Physician-Assisted Suicide has brought the subject back to the fore front of many professional nurses practice. There is little research involving the professional nurse and how often they are asked to be a resource to patients seeking this specific end of life care. The current standards of practice in states where Physician-Assisted Suicide leaves many questions in the professional nurses mind of what their role is in this type of care. There is a gap in the current education and resources available for the professional nurse to navigate this sensitive topic with confidence. The need to fill this gap in education

According to the Oxford Dictionary, assisted suicide is “...suicide effected with the assistance of another person, especially the taking of lethal drugs provided by a doctor for the purpose by a patient suffering from a terminal illness or incurable condition.” Assisted suicide for the terminally ill should be legalized in all fifty states, considering it gives the person control over their life, ends their family’s suffering and assures that the patient will have access over their unalienable rights.

“She’s in pain!” Lizabeth shouted, when her mother winced after trying to sit up. “Can’t you see that? Do something! Get the doctor!” she snapped at the attending nurse in Room #152 at Outer Drive Hospital.

The Hippocratic Oath is often seen as the determining factor of all medical decisions, but those decisions can be based off of the wrong participant’s point of view. With a multitude of ethics to follow, physicians have always decided what course of action is the most beneficial to their patients. Living in a constantly shifting society, however, has shed light on the power struggle between the rights of patients and the ethics of medicine. In the case of physician-assisted suicide, the conflict of power should resolve with the ultimate decision-making power resting in the hands of the patients.

Just imagine…the invitation arriving in the mail, it was no ordinary invite. The days of physical misery and suffering that lead up to this final celebration of life were unbearable to watch. Having a terminally ill family member is hard because you know the days, weeks and months are numbered. Quality of life, what is that anyway? Each passing hour has the quality of life diminishing to unimaginable physical pain and anguish. Watching someone you love slip away and turn into a shell of who they once were is unbearable. This invitation is special. This special day and every precious hour will give the loved ones a time to say goodbye just before they die with dignity in physician assisted suicide. Terminally ill patients have the right to end their own lives using physician assisted suicide (PAS) without repercussions of laws and people with opposing opinions.

My heart beats with ferocity as I nervously wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans. I quickly take in my surroundings and think to myself, “I hate the doctor’s office.” I know my face is covered with a look of worry; it is impossible to conceal. My mother attempts to silently console me, glancing in my direction with a half smile. She is acting as if everything is perfectly fine. Her anxious eyes give away her true feelings, but I make an effort to smile back and mask my emotions. I know she is being positive and praying for the best. I am preparing myself for the worst.

The hospital reeked of sadness, grief, and appalling hospital grub. My family and I sat in peace, trying to grasp the dreadful news the doctor had just shared. 2 weeks to prepare for what would forever be one of the hardest days of my life. I crumpled up the pamphlet immediately with tears streaming down my face. A billion questions flooded the mind of an 8 year old. Why would this happen to her? Why can’t they just make her better? What am I supposed to do without her?

With almost feeling remorseful for having asked all those intimate questions once again, Dr. Versanti, had been utterly confused. Confused into wondering the sudden change that had occurred to her patient, when just one year ago, she had seemed to be more adjusted with her parent’s departure. Something must have happened, “Now, tell me dear, why torment yourself again with this excruciating event? What occurred in the span of your visit, three years ago?” Dr. Versanti said sympathetic.

It was what felt like the hottest day of the year July 31 in New York City. Joan Ormsby was returning some clothes, she had received at her baby shower on this very hot day. She remembered that she had a doctor's appointment at 11am that day she rushed her usual shopping routine. She arrived at the OBGYN office, by herself, at 11am. Joan waited in the waiting room waiting for her name to be called while fanning herself with her right hand whilst she rested her left on her bloated stomach. “Ormsby,” the nurse called whilst holding the door and searching for a standing woman. Joan was guided to the room she waited for Dr. Green to pop into the room smiling like he always did at the other appointments. Joan looked around the room many thoughts

During my visits to the hospital to check on my mother, I always tried to inquire from the attending physician on details about my mother’s condition. Unknown to me, he was marked by my curiosity such that he confided in my parents that he could tell from the sparkle in my eyes that something significant had taken place