ethics
Ethical Dilemmas and The Terri Schiavo Case
Michelle Carmona, Simarjeet Bassi, Maxim Punnoose
Grand Canyon University
NRS437V
Kristine Roberts
September 29, 2013
Ethical Dilemmas and The Terri Schiavo Case
According to the ANA, euthanasia is the act of helping to end the suffering of an individual by assisting in their suicide wishes. ("Code for nurses," 1985) This has been a topic of great debate for quite some time as certain individuals see this as inhumane and that no person has the right to determine when or how they die. Dr. Jack Kevorkian, also known as Dr. Death, assisted several individuals with suicide, which eventually landed him in prison. Is it ethical to want to help one end their suffering at their own request? Should we dictate this for a terminal cancer patient that has gone several rounds with chemotherapy and no success or a person that has multiple sclerosis and no chance of regaining the same function they had at one time in their lives?
The ANA released a statement stating that no nurse should ever take part in type of suicide or suicide assistance due to the fact that it directly violates the Nurses’ Code of Ethics. Nonmalfiece and beneficence are two codes that nurse live by daily and by helping to assist in the death of an individual you would not be protecting your patient from harm, or would you? If a patient refuses care the nurse is not held accountable for harm to the patient. Current law states that euthanasia is unlawful I all states with the exception of Vermont, Oregon and Washington. One can obtain a court order granting permission in the state of Montana, making it legal. ("State-by-state guide to," 2013)
The European Convention gives a person the right to die. There is a current Suicide Act (1961) that still allows it to be a legal decision for the British. Some would state that this is a direct violation of autonomy. Autonomy is allowing one the opportunity to make their own decisions and
Michelle Carmona, Simarjeet Bassi, Maxim Punnoose
Grand Canyon University
NRS437V
Kristine Roberts
September 29, 2013
Ethical Dilemmas and The Terri Schiavo Case
According to the ANA, euthanasia is the act of helping to end the suffering of an individual by assisting in their suicide wishes. ("Code for nurses," 1985) This has been a topic of great debate for quite some time as certain individuals see this as inhumane and that no person has the right to determine when or how they die. Dr. Jack Kevorkian, also known as Dr. Death, assisted several individuals with suicide, which eventually landed him in prison. Is it ethical to want to help one end their suffering at their own request? Should we dictate this for a terminal cancer patient that has gone several rounds with chemotherapy and no success or a person that has multiple sclerosis and no chance of regaining the same function they had at one time in their lives?
The ANA released a statement stating that no nurse should ever take part in type of suicide or suicide assistance due to the fact that it directly violates the Nurses’ Code of Ethics. Nonmalfiece and beneficence are two codes that nurse live by daily and by helping to assist in the death of an individual you would not be protecting your patient from harm, or would you? If a patient refuses care the nurse is not held accountable for harm to the patient. Current law states that euthanasia is unlawful I all states with the exception of Vermont, Oregon and Washington. One can obtain a court order granting permission in the state of Montana, making it legal. ("State-by-state guide to," 2013)
The European Convention gives a person the right to die. There is a current Suicide Act (1961) that still allows it to be a legal decision for the British. Some would state that this is a direct violation of autonomy. Autonomy is allowing one the opportunity to make their own decisions and