Assisted Suicide

Published

HI, I am in nursing school and I am writing a argumentative paper on Assisted Suicide. I would like to see what your thoughts are on this topic. Weather it should be legal or illegal and why?

I would also like to know about any experiences you may have had relating to this topic.

Thanks

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Specializes in Gerontology.

Tell us what you think first.

How do you feel about it.

Pro or con? Why?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

We are happy to help...tell us what you think and why...what has your research revealed to you? we will jump right in. I don't think many nurses have experience with assisted suicide unless they live in a state that allows this by law.

State-by-State Guide to Physician-Assisted Suicide - Euthanasia - ProCon.org

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

Yes, all in favor of it. I also think we should allow veterinarians assist. After all they are the ones with vast experience, plus the oath taken by veterinarians is less likely to be an ethical issue.

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Well I believe that it should be legal for terminally ill patients those who are suffering a slow and painful death and that have no chance of recovery. I think there should be strict guidelines such as being over age, need to have a psych. evaluation, and have seen several other doctors to verify their condition. I believe it is the patients choice. We are there for them.

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Well I believe that it should be legal for terminally ill patients those who are suffering a slow (death)
How slow is slow enough... dead in a week and you have to deal with it... dead in a month and we'll help? What about 2-5 years? That's real slow... them too?
and painful death
How painful is painful enough? 5/10, 7/10, 10/10... 24x7 or is an hour a day enough?
and that have no chance of recovery.
Recovery with tx or without? So we're going to require someone to exhaust all possible treatment possibilities... regardless of how expensive, painful, risky? And let's face it, with treatment lots and lots of people have at least some small chance of recovery... and while we're at it, recovery to what condition? vegetative count? vent-dependent? total quad?
I think there should be strict guidelines such as being over
Set by whom?
age
Only very old? Very young?
need to have a psych. evaluation
any licensed psychiatrist will do? And regardless, then what? They're depressed... feed 'em prozac and make 'em live?
and have seen several other doctors to verify their condition.
3, 5, 10? Who picks? Special death docs or board-certified?
I believe it is the patients choice. We are there for them.
I'm an ardent supporter of the absolute right to self-determination and I believe that terminating one's life can be a rational decision.
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Got enough to copy and paste for your paper yet? ;)

Seriously, what are your thoughts, and what have you learned from your own study? AN is not "Ask Jeeves," you know.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Got enough to copy and paste for your paper yet? ;)

Seriously, what are your thoughts, and what have you learned from your own study? AN is not "Ask Jeeves," you know.

I'd say so since they haven't come back.

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I am not hear to to just get information to copy and past..I want to know what other people think about this issue

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As a nurse I dont think its up to use to decide.Yes we are there to help them but if they don't want to live that should be there choice. I do think that we need to give them other options such as hospice but we need to make sure that they are capable of making a decision like this which is why I think they should have a psych evaluation. And I can't give a pain scale everybody feels pain differently and handles it differently and you don't always have a chance of recovery treatments often only treat symptoms. I say that they should get a 2nd or 3rd opinion to verify their diagnosis.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Here is the deal...even though your paper is about the pro's and cons of assisted suicide. More research is involved.

What research have you done about assisted suicide in the US? What do the states who have approved assisted suicide (there are 5 of them) have in their laws? What do you feel about each of them? How do those laws protect/harm patient choice at end of life? What research have you done on assisted suicide/euthanasia in other countries? How do those laws compare to the laws in the US? How does that make you feel?

Not that I'm a WIKI fan but there is some good information assembled.....Assisted suicide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here in the US we do perform terminal weans on patients

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

We are not being difficult but we want you to be the best nurse you can be....that involves getting all the research and making an educated decision based on personal values. Where does religion come into play? Should a nurse allow his/her personal beliefs interfere with the care of his/her patients? What ethical dilemmas are involved with these decisions? How does this affect patient care and patient rights?

We are trying to help you develop a good thought process and a better paper.

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