Ethical dillema

[twister431]

I have a class project due and would like to get some feedback, espcially those in hospice care. Here it is.

The doctor has an order in for increased dosages of morphine for a terminally ill patient, her resp are 4 to 8 per minute. I think that increasing the dosage anymore would kill her and the order should be clarified by the doctor. I also believe by increasing the dosage would be unethical because it would be Practioner asisted suicide. Am I on the right line of thinking or no.

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

Morphine is given for respiratory distress in hospice patients.

http://www.hospicepatients.org/hospic33.html

http://www.hospicecare.com/manual/symptoms-main.html#DYSPNOEA

As others have stated there is too little information for an ethical issue.