I was recently ordered to give a dose of Roxanol to a patient with terminal Alzheimers. I withheld the dose due to the fact that his resp. was 5, there were no s/s of pain, no SOB, and no labored breathing. Pulse was slow and weak. No response from stimuli. The MD said I should give it and (I quote) "you can make it a humane death"
I have a problem with this, I always thought that we first do no harm, isnt giving some one something they dont need harm? No signs of distress, just someone busy dying and not having a problem with it.