Life is a frail and fragile thing. Each of us considers it to be our most valuable possession given to us from a higher power. Some take it for granted, while some preserve and celebrate it. In a moment’s notice the breath of life can be taken without consent. I was presented with a piece of editorial, to discuss and decipher its contents. I will present my thoughts and answer the questions posted in the editorial.…
The purpose of The Bill of Rights was to “address any concerns that the Constitution did not mention” (bill of rights). It was written to protect citizens from excessive government power. Supporters of the Constitution realized that adding a bill of rights to the document was a safer option rather than creating another Constitution. This document was written in December 15, 1791 by James Madison.…
I believe that the reason physician assisted suicide is such a controversial issue is because people don't make wills that tell hospitals what they want to be done with their body in case certain unfortunate things are to happen to them. This leaves their families arguing amongst each other and the hospitals on what is the right thing to do for the patient. Personally, I don't believe that somebody should be on life support if they can't even feel,think, or eat on their own. All it is, is torchering their body by making it stay in one position at all times. For example, the Terri Schiavo case in Florida, she was on a feeding tube for about 15 years because her family believed that she was still…
Many people have different opinions on Physician assisted suicide like if it is inhuman and if the illness can affect the patient's ability to make decisions.. Many people debate whether terminally ill patients should have the choice of suicide. Whether people think it is good or bad, many terminally ill patients do not want to suffer and feel they are being forced to die a slow and painful death.…
The Supreme Court cited the New York State Task Force on Life (a commission composed of doctors, ethicists, lawyers, religious leaders, and interested laymen), which commission warned that “[l]egalizing physician-assisted suicide would pose profound risks to many individuals who are ill and vulnerable”, especially those lacking money, and good medical care. The Court stated that if physician-assisted suicide were permitted, many persons might resort to it to spare their family the substantial financial burden of end-of-life healthcare costs.…
We have countless rights protected by the United States such as freedom of speech, due process of law, and freedom of religion to name a few. Most importantly, we have the right to life. In the opening of the Declaration of Independence, the very thing our country was founded upon, it is said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription). We do not, however, have the right to die. We have no right to end our own life, particularly by way of physician-assisted suicide. Although…
Imagine being terminally ill and being told by a doctor that there is only have six months left to live and that those next six months will wither the body down to nothing through pain and suffering. Physician-assisted suicide could save many Americans from this nightmarish reality that terminally ill patients face today. If physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia was legal in the United States, months of suffering and a loss of dignity and autonomy could be spared. Therefore, physician-assisted suicide, in the style Oregon employs, should be legalized and available to suffering patients across the United…
A hotly debated issue regarding the quality of life for terminally ill patients revolves around the morality and legal implications of euthanasia, or physician assisted suicide which is defined as the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease, or in an irreversible coma. There are already a multitude of laws in place regulating physician assisted suicide in some states and countries, as well as laws preventing the practice. But despite these preventative laws physician assisted suicide remains an underground practice to relieve patient suffering. In lieu of the supposed moral issues associated with physician assisted suicide,…
Great spiritual, physical and emotional changes occur as an individual nears the end of a terminal illness, and hospice care is here to help you and your family deal with all of them. Hospice care helps both the individual and their family to cope changing care needs by offering emotional support as well as providing palliative care. Palliative care eases pain and makes the body's physical changes more comfortable. We are proud to support those confronting their illness with grace and dignity.…
Assisted suicide is a non-widely known controversy in our country for years now. Many, including professionals in the healthcare industry, confuse this term with euthanasia and other similar concepts. Assisted suicide is when a physically and mentally capable person, most likely diagnosed with a terminal illness, makes a decision to end their lives themselves for reasons such as to not inconvenience their families with financial and emotional difficulty, and to end their own suffering. On the other hand euthanasia is when another person, usually a physician, is directly performing the act on the dying person with or without their consent for emergency reasons. Clearly, the difference is that assisted suicide gives the person the right to die…
Nobody wants to die, but death is an inevitable and complex phenomena. To say goodbye to loved one is always difficult. In some cases, it is harder when death comes sooner than later by some serious diagnosis. I think the most important point that a health-care professional needs to consider on the subject of death, dying or grieving is to respect the wishes of patients and families. Health-care professionals should provide training and education about death, dying, and bereavement to the families. Also, healthcare providers should be familiar with the ethics and cultures of the patients and families which they belong to. Death, dying or grieving processes can be culturally or traditionally different among patients. “Some physicians can keep…
Medically assisted death should be legal in Canada assuming that applicants meet the clearly stated guidelines and safeguards that have been put into play by the government. Not legalizing medically assisted death is impractical and a violation of several rights given to citizens of Canada, as stated in The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Medically assisted death should be legal for three major reasons: All Canadian citizens have the right to life and liberty, as stated in s.7 of The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In connection with this fundamental right, all citizens must have the right to end their life before they lose the ability to do so as an effect of their condition. A second violation of The Canadian Charter of…
The assisted death movement gained traction and popularity in the early 90’s, making the death with dignity laws a fairly new and recent controversial topic. Oregon was the first state whose legislation passed a death with dignity bill and are looked upon for guidance. About 20 years ago in 1997 the Supreme court gave the state lawmakers jurisdiction over the right to assisted deaths in the washington V Glucksberg case. Laws both legalizing and prohibiting Death with dignity were found to be constitutional. Today there are still 0 federal laws for or against death with dignity however, it has been legalized in 6 states, 4 states have no official legislation and in the remaining states assisted death has been ruled illegal. Death With Dignity…
The following paper will be part interview and part essay. A local funeral director was interviewed about final preparations, the purpose of a modern funeral, how people cope with death, and unusual request for funeral services. A brief discussion how some modern funeral traditions were originated and why death is almost always attached to fear will also be addressed.…
End of life care is one of the most taboo topics in American society as it requires those involved to acknowledge that their lives will eventually come to an end. Planning for such an outcome can be difficult but ultimately it is necessary in order to save others from dealing with the burden of end of life care while unprepared. As a nurse it is especially important to have a firm grasp of the many different factors that weigh in decisions related to end of life care and be ready to assist both the patient and his or her family in any way needed when that time may come. A careful examination of the resources available in a community to assist with this care, the gaps in care prevalent in American society today, the cultural…