Physician-assisted suicide is a fatal medication prescribed by doctors to some one that is terminal ill. Currently it is legal in Oregon, Washington, and Montana. It has been conversable in the United States due to religious and other prohibitions. In order for the medication to be prescribed the patient must meet the following criteria:
- The patients condition is intolerable with no hope for improvement.
- No relief is available.
- The patient is competent.
- The patient makes a request repeatedly over time.
- Two physicians have reviewed the case and agree with the patient's request. (Kail and Cavanaugh, 2007).
I personally do not no of anyone who has used this method to commit suicide. I personally was against it because of religious beliefs, but after researching the internet of personal physician-assisted suicide stories I had a change of heart. One personal story was of a women suffering from emphysema for 20 years. She underwent several treatments only for her condition to worsen and to become finically broken. The pain was intolerable, she was gasping for every breath of air, and she weighted less than 100 pounds. She was hooked up to IV's to keep her hydrated. I could see how someone wouldn't want to live anymore having to deal with these symptoms for 20 years. People that decide to go this route have often been through more than the average person could imagine
If I could do more research I would like to no more about the people that decided to go this route and than had a change of heart after receiving the medication. I wonder if they are glad they didn't follow though and what there quality of life was like at the end stages of there disease.
Wow, you have a very thoughtful post. I was on the fence about physician assisted suicide, but after our readings I do believe that it is suitable in some cases. I do plan to go into nursing and i do think it would be hard to be faced with a case involving physician suicide, but I need to understand that it is not my place to judge, but to look at the medical facts.
ReplyDeleteI used to feel the same way because of religious beliefs, one of my best friends researched this to extreme and after hearing her stories of watching people suffer so badly with no end to the suffering I crossed over my belief. I am so glad that there strict policies around the issue. As for my religious beliefs I will pray that someday we find better ways of curing diseases that suffer so badly.
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