An important decision! What would you do?

Sheri257 · Jun 4, 2004

Well, for one thing, it's illegal. So, you really wouldn't have a choice.

:uhoh21:

brownsuga1184 · Jun 4, 2004

Yes, you are right. However, they are thinking of legalizing it under certain conditions. In some places such as the netherlands, they have legalize it.

Katnip, RN · Jun 4, 2004

Physician assisted suicide is legal in Oregon. Key word here is "physician."

There was a report a few years back when I was taking biomed ethics. A few years after it was legalized in the Netherlands, there were some severe problems. It seems that physicians did not need patient's or families' permission to perform euthanasia. People were moving their very ill beloved families out of the county in fear.

I doubt very much Oregon is like that, but I don't doubt there are some very unscrupulious people out there. As a matter of fact, I know it for a fact.

elkpark · Jun 5, 2004

There have been some previous threads on this topic -- you could do a search and find them.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 5, 2004

In the Netherlands, the euthanasia is performed in the OR by an anesthesiologist, after approval by several other physicians from different departments. You can not just show up the hospital and literally want to be put to sleep. It essentially goes up in front of an ethics committee first.....................

Tony35NYC · Jun 5, 2004

let me know what you think!!!!!

i think most nurses in the us would rather stay as far away from this issue as possible if they want to keep their license and stay out of prison. if the pt wants to 'off' himself that's his business, but he wouldn't be getting any help from me.

NurseDiva04 · Jun 10, 2004

BrownSuga,

I took Ethics last semester and I did my major paper on Euthanasia. I will not perform mercy killing because I am a Christian and I do believe that I will definitely miss heaven if I start taking lives. 2nd, it is illegal and I am one of those that would have the guilty look written all over my body!

I had a personal experience where I had my mother had a massive stroke and the decision was in my hand to sign the surgery consent to have part of her cerebellum removed. I had only a couple of minutes to decide after the diagnosis. My mom and I had numerous discussions about not keeping her alive if she could not function properly. The surgeon told me she had 50/50 chance to live and she would probably not walk, talk, or have short-term memory. My mom was very independent before this happened and I knew she would not want to live this way. However, I signed the consent because I did not want to lose my mom and I felt that I would have been part of her dying if I did not try. Five years later, my mom is still on the throne giving orders! She walks, talks, and let's not take about her memory. Yes, she had to learn how to walk, talk and do fine motor skills but it took only 3 months, not years which I was told. For this reason, I will never give up on life until the last natural breath is taking by those around me.

Good luck with your class. I enjoyed learning about the different ideas! But I am glad it is over. I had to do a lot of writing in that class!

Diva

gizelda196 · Jun 10, 2004

I think most nurses in the US would rather stay as far away from this issue as possible if they want to keep their license and stay out of prison. .

Id would agree with Tony. Not really a good idea to talk about in an electronic forum. You might do better with face to face interviews.In a really quiet "safe " place.

It is a subject that Dr. Jack has brought into the public. There should be more discussion about this.

Let me just add. I was watching the pet psychic. Some women had to put he cat "down" becuase the pain from arthritis was just too much suffering. Wouldn't it be nice if we could do that to 90 year old gramma,who is riddled with fx's and can't walk and is in pain every day also?It is always The "humane" thing when it is an animal,but murder when it gramma.