During a game of chase with his sister Nikki, three-year-old Wes caught her for the first time. Without knowing what do to next, he punched her. His mother Joy’s angry and sudden reaction to him hitting his sister was confusing to him. While Wes hid in his room, he heard his father, Westley, trying to calm his mother down. Westley reminded Joy that Wes did not know hitting a woman was wrong or why Joy felt so strongly about it. Years later, Wes would finally understand why his mother reacted in that way. Bill’s recreational drug and alcohol use became an addiction. Even though they had a child together (Wes’s older sister, Nikki), Joy left Bill after a particularly violent encounter ended with her battered, but determined. Joy met Westley,…
There are many ethical dilemmas/cases throughout history, today I would like to address two issues/dilemmas that I believe have impacted and helped reshape our stances upon medical ethics. The first issue in which I would like to address to Physician Assisted Suicide or sometimes referred to as PAS.…
and U.S. Law” by Stephen Hoffman is credible because he practices law in Minnesota where he also received his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School and his LL.M. from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law. Hoffman’s purpose for the article is to explain the controversial and complex issues of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Hoffman explains the difference and similarity between euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide as well as classifying the different types such as ‘voluntary’ and ‘nonvoluntary.’ He states the difference between active and passive euthanasia which plays a role for a physician’s duty in a patient’s death. He also explains what medical doctrine of double effect is. Then he explains the common law necessity defense and a physician’s conflicting duties that deal with euthanasia. Later in the article, he explains the legal doctrines of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in European countries such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland and The Netherlands and states in North America such as Oregon, Washington, and…
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…
FACTS The prosecution, Dr. Timothy E. Quill and three terminally ill patients residing in New York State sued the New York State Attorney General’s office (Defendant) on constitutional grounds after the State prohibited Physician-assisted suicides. The respondents made up of Physicians argued that the statute violated the Equal Protection Clause under the Fourteenth Amendment, in which a capable person can deny medical treatment at any point in their health, and that this is "essentially the same thing" as a Physician-assisted suicide. The District Court acted in favor of the Statute arguing that it was not unconstitutional and stating that New York State…
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.…
Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable disease which is cutting a person’s life too short. The concept of physician assisted suicide always provokes a moral predicament for many people all over the world, mostly because it gives someone the freedom to choose whether to live or die. Euthanasia has been debated for many years, on one hand people believe euthanasia is a negative action because suicide is not a way out, but on the other hand people also believe assisted suicide is the only option for a patient who suffers from great pain that will only get worse. Euthanasia or physician assisted suicide should be legalized and people shouldn’t worry about whether or not if they feel it’s immoral or not.…
Why it is unjust and unmoral to approve of medical assistants in the pursuit of death, such as suicide if the patients ask for such help? There are two side to every argument, there are some people that believe that is is morally ethical to receive PAS (Physician-Assisted Suicide). Then, of course there’s the opposing side to the debate in which this paper will cover and that side is :The medical practice is PAS is unjust, unmoral and shouldn’t be legalized for the fact the the will of life out powers a moment of misery.…
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…
Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is an issue that started in the 1980’s and continues to remain a current hot topic within the nursing practice. Governor Jerry Brown recently signed an assisted suicide bill into law (Lovett & Pérez-Peña, 2015). PAS will be in effect ninety days after its ruling on the floor. The governor stated that if he were battling a terminal illness accompanied by pain he would be comforted by the option and wouldn’t want to deny that to anyone. As with any issue, there has been opposition claiming that the ill and disabled may be coerced into choosing death over other options. Not only does this law change the way medicine is practiced, but it also affects nursing care.…
Physician assisted suicide is a highly controversial issue that has many ethical concerns. There are many moral issues that should be considered when discussing physician-assisted suicide. Many people relate religion as a part of why physician assisted suicide is wrong and others state it violates the Hippocratic Oath. In this paper, we will discuss the moral dilemma of physician-assisted suicide. We will also examine the arguments against and in favor of physician assisted suicide and which view is closer to my own.…
Euthanasia the assisted killing of a terminal patient is a controversial topic that medical professionals cannot avoid. Many health professionals face the ethical dilemma of whether or not they should end a patient’s misery. Patient’s rights are always the top priority, doctors are taught to find every possible way to treat and cure the patient, but the possibility of the patient being irremediable to what extent is the health care professionals willing to go to give the patient their wishes?…
The main reasons why physician-assisted suicide should be legalized in every state is outlined in great detail with real life examples to back up each reason. Physician-assisted suicide is legal in six states in the US and is an ongoing debate amongst other states. Physician-assisted suicide gives a terminally ill patient with six months or less to live the ability to voluntarily control his or her own death. The physician prescribes a lethal dose of medication and the patient chooses when, where and how to end his or her own life. The cost of physician-assisted suicide is substantially lower than receiving end of life care such as palliative or hospice care. Many terminally ill patients fear that medical expenses will leave a burden on their…
Diane was a patient of Dr. Timothy Quill, who was diagnosed with acute myelomonocytic leukemia. Diane overcame alcoholism and had vaginal cancer in her youth. She had been under his care for a period of 8 years, during which an intimate doctor-patient bond had been established. It was Dr. Quill's observation that "she was an incredibly clear, at times brutally honest, thinker and communicator." This observation became especially cogent after Diane heard of her diagnosis. Dr. Quill informed her of the diagnosis, and of the possible treatments. This series of treatments entailed multiple chemotherapy sessions, followed by a bone marrow transplant, accompanied by an array of ancillary treatments.…