There are times when life takes an unforeseen route, and one is faced with an obstacle or situation that was not expected. Many people are diagnosed with terminal diseases, have accidents and are left with severe impairments, and suffer horrendous complications from medical issues. One has the right, according to law, to make medical decisions about their care and treatment options. But should one have the right to end their life? Assisted, or voluntary euthanasia, is the direct administration of a lethal agent to end one’s life at the request of…
In today 's society one of the most controversial issues is physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. Many feel as though it is wrong, regardless of their health condition to ask their health care provider to end their life. Others feel it is their right to be able to choose how and when they die. For those who believe physician-assisted suicide should be their choice, they feel it should be legal because: they don 't want to go through the suffering caused by the life-threatening illness, they fear the loss of their independence, becoming a burden to their family and friends, and the fear of dying alone.…
death...[yet]... the near universal desire ‘to be allowed to die in my own home’ is willfully disregarded. By allowing yourself to have life, one would assume that this gives you freedom over other aspects of your existence, including when it should end. By denying the rights to achieve liberty, achieve happiness, and define our lives, are we not denying the rights governments around the world were founded on? It is the denial of these rights that allows the mental stress felt by patients to turn into…
Not all terminally ill patients will choose this option, but it should be available for those who want it. Coping with the diagnosis of a terminal illness is difficult for both the patient and the patient’s loved ones and it only becomes more difficult as the disease progresses. Being given the ability to decide when to die allows the patient to feel a sense of dignity and control during a time when he or she may not have control over anything else in life. Not only does physician-assisted suicide provide a sense of relief to the patient, it provides relief to family and friends. Watching a loved one die is one of the most challenging things to endure in life. It only becomes more challenging when forced to watch a loved one die a slow and painful death. Physician-assisted suicide can provide closure to everyone involved in a situation dealing with a terminal illness; therefore, it must become legal in all fifty…
First, I believe a person should not be able to choose whether they will live or die because dying…
Two examples of moral issues affecting health care are that some pharmacists feel they can refuse filling prescriptions for birth control because they feel it is wrong and I feel that is a moral issue for the fact it is just an opinion of…
Have you ever just felt like you wanted to die? All because you were just too tired, you broke up with your significant other or you are just too stressed to continue. Individuals dying of cancer, or are terminally ill some are scared to die whereas others just wish it was over so they were not in any more pain. I have chosen the “Right to Die” topic. My reasoning for choosing this topic is for two reasons: First I have always found this topic to be fairly interesting, and know of it but not a lot. Second I am a person who is scared of death so I am hoping that it will give me a little more understanding as to why someone would want this for his or herself.…
Death is an event, dying is a process. Modern medicine today works very hard to help people live longer and avoid that dreaded day when death comes. The healthcare system is prolonging life, but is it always the answer, forcing someone to continue a suffering life. Doctors sometimes unintentionally instill false hope in patients by offering treatment that most likely will not work or benefit the patient. Prolonging life has ethical and moral issues. Death is also a very taboo topic in our culture and should not be discussed or accepted. The doctors and pharmaceutical companies that are prolonging life do not fully understand the damage they are causing to society surrounding death.…
Life is considered to be free and chosen to do whatever it is the person favors, which includes the freedom to cease their life when it is filled with immeasurable pain and suffering. Terminally ill patients should be given the choice to die “peacefully, gently, quickly, and with certainty.” Studies show that 59% of terminally ill patients would rather be treated with hospice care than the aggressive treatment they receive to prolong their life and/or extending their death. This needs reassurance that someone will be there for them to assist medically.…
However, opponents of euthanasia use familial suffering as a reason why euthanasia should not be legalized (Barone). One might argue that patients can be pressured into taking their lives. Certainly, one is the master of his own life and should make decisions accordingly. Arguably one should never feel pressured to take his own life on the basis of another's well…
Eventually we all pass away; no one wants to think about it but in the end we have to go one of two ways, either painfully and unexpected, or comforted and prepared. Although assisted suicide is an “easy way out” every other option available in caregiving is reviewed and attempted before doctor assisted suicide is even consider. Patients should hold the right to avoid excruciating pain and suffering by having a timely and dignified death. As addressed by multiple court reviews, a mentally competent, terminally individual has a protected liberty interest in choosing to end their own intolerable suffering by bringing about his or her own death.…
Over the course of the semester, we have covered many interesting topics in this class. However, the one that I continually struggled to form a solid opinion on, and sincerely had to ponder what my decisions would be in the given situations, was the topic of end of life choices. My own personal thoughts and beliefs would conflict with my religious following, and my mind would continually change on such topics as whether or not physician assisted suicide should be legal, or whether or not I would want to keep living in a persistent vegetative state in the hope of a miracle recovery. I still struggle forming an unyielding position, but the information we have learned in this class has helped me learn more on these topics and given me a broader spectrum on which to base my final decision.…
The dying process is a subject that many people do not like to discuss. To them it is a scary process and a lot of “what if” questions. Death affects everyone emotionally, physically. spiritually, and mentally. Death can occur in infants, children, teens, and adults and most people think that when older adults die that it’s okay but if some is young people say it was before their time. God knows when it is our time, even when we do not understand at that time. Looking at death, there are sometime situations that you can get help to prepare yourself and your family when a death occurs. There are three types of education that can help, which are crisis intervention education, routine death education, and death education for members of the helping profession (Feldman,…
The right to die is a very controversial subject. Some people may have strong religious beliefs that have a great impact on their opinion. Whether or not a person can choose their own time of death in a terminal illness situation is the question. And should individuals who assist in these assisted deaths should be prosecuted. There are two types of Euthanasia: passive, and active.…
While birth and death are all a part of life they are very different things, they cannot be considered one in the same because birth is bringing a life into the world, which is done in very few ways. While death can happen in a multitude of ways, from old age, disease, an accident, etc. One article in particular talks about the cons of ending your life early, “In your choosing your own death, you are robbing those that love you with the such tenderness, the opportunity of meeting you in your last moments and extending your love in your last breaths” (Tippetts). But are those last minutes worth it, if it means months of pain and suffering, family sitting by your bed watching you deteriorate before their eyes? Some people want the extra time, while others just can't bear the idea of living a life of pain and misery. “That last kiss, that last warm touch, that last breath, matters — but it was never intended for us to decide when that last breath is breathed” (Tippetts). While most deaths are unknown, it is inevitable that these people will die, within the next 6 months or so, so is it really such a big deal, that if they consent, and want to that they end their own lives that we should stop them from doing…