should patients be able to choose to end their life if they are in pain and dying

Nurses General Nursing

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Should pts be able to choose to end their life if they are in pain and dying I do because they shouldn't have to cope with been in pain and they should be given the choice to die naturally or with help in ending it:cry:

Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

i don't know how i truly feel about this in my heart of hearts.

i did a paper about it in nursing school for ethics class and i do believe that terminally ill patients of sound mind should be able to make the choice to end their suffering. however, i, as a nurse, do not want to give them the drug.

say a family member is dying but cannot speak for themselves. does the POA suddenly get the choice to euthanize their mom/spouse/child? i think that if it were me personally, i wouldn't be able to make that decision. i know that when we love our animals enough we can make the choice to let them go peacefully... but i don't know if i, as a family member, or as a nurse, could do it for a human. i know it sounds stupid.

i am also a big advocate of hospice care and i do know that there can be such a thing as a "good death" through adequate pain management and comfort measures.

No because it is a sin...committing suicide even under the worse condition is never right in my opinion.

I've always been curious about this stance from the religious perspective. You believe that committing suicide is a sin. Ok, I respect that, that's your personal belief. However, do you think it is fair or right to impose that belief upon others? In the case of physician assisted suicide, you are not the one committing the "sin": the patient is. Some random person committing suicide may be a "sin", but it has nothing to do with you, so why do you care?

I hope it doesn't sound like I'm attacking you, because I'm not. I'm just trying to understand this perspective :)

Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

say a family member is dying but cannot speak for themselves. does the POA suddenly get the choice to euthanize their mom/spouse/child?

No. That would be euthanasia, not assisted suicide. The two are distinct from one another.

Assisted suicide is about self determination. Euthanasia is not.

I support assisted suicide, but not euthanasia.

Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I wouldn't want my family ever making the choice for me unless it was legal for me to end my own life and I have it stated in a living will? that they are just following because I can't speak. Family members think to much on emotion, they might want to hang on to me when I am ready to go, they might want me to go when I am not ready. It's hard not to be selfish when it comes to those we love so I wouldn't be ok with that.

I do think though a person has a right to end their life when faced with a terminal illness, or something else comparable. I can not think of the name, is it paraplegic ?? where basically you are alive but just stuck in your body, you can't talk you can't move you can't function on your own, but you are basically trapped in your body driving yourself insane because you can't even communicate? I don't remember the term, but I would not want to live like that. I think it would be wrong to force me to.

I've always been curious about this stance from the religious perspective. You believe that committing suicide is a sin. Ok, I respect that, that's your personal belief. However, do you think it is fair or right to impose that belief upon others? In the case of physician assisted suicide, you are not the one committing the "sin": the patient is. Some random person committing suicide may be a "sin", but it has nothing to do with you, so why do you care?

I hope it doesn't sound like I'm attacking you, because I'm not. I'm just trying to understand this perspective :)

The God brought us to this earth and he decides when to takes us out....no I'm not religious fanatic (actually far from it) however I trully believe this,and MAJORITY of the people do actually believe in higher power,the ratio of believers to non-believers is higher (and of course I'm talking about all kinds of religions-however I also believe that there is only one God under different names and one prophet under different names)

I was always taught that life is the most precious gift,it is a miracle,we as health care providers should save lives not end it it away....suffering no matter how cruel it sounds also have a meaning.

Specializes in School Nursing.

But God also gave us free will. I think that is the key here. We make choices every day on how to live our lives, we should have the choice on how to experience our death. You should not be forced to assist someone in ending their suffering if it goes against your belief, but to take the choice away from them, or to judge them for making a different choice than what you would make...well, let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.

Not to mention the whole separation of church and state thing. We cannot legislate religious beliefs. And while the ratio of "believers" to "non-believers" may be true, there is WIDE variety in the specific beliefs of those individuals. I myself am a believer, but I would support assisted suicide with the conditions mentioned in my previous post. You cannot assume that just because someone is a Christian that they hold the same beliefs as yourself.

But God also gave us free will. I think that is the key here. We make choices every day on how to live our lives, we should have the choice on how to experience our death. You should not be forced to assist someone in ending their suffering if it goes against your belief, but to take the choice away from them, or to judge them for making a different choice than what you would make...well, let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.

Not to mention the whole separation of church and state thing. We cannot legislate religious beliefs. And while the ratio of "believers" to "non-believers" may be true, there is WIDE variety in the specific beliefs of those individuals. I myself am a believer, but I would support assisted suicide with the conditions mentioned in my previous post. You cannot assume that just because someone is a Christian that they hold the same beliefs as yourself.

Show the script in the bible that say "It is ok to assist someone in taking their life,than maybe I will agree...

It is against ten commandments to kill yourself or someone else,the last time I checked it hasnt been revised,also I found a very interesting link about a girl who is paraplegic (paralysis of waist down).She talks about her experience

The God brought us to this earth and he decides when to takes us out....no I'm not religious fanatic (actually far from it) however I trully believe this,and MAJORITY of the people do actually believe in higher power,the ratio of believers to non-believers is higher (and of course I'm talking about all kinds of religions-however I also believe that there is only one God under different names and one prophet under different names)

I was always taught that life is the most precious gift,it is a miracle,we as health care providers should save lives not end it it away....suffering no matter how cruel it sounds also have a meaning.

That may be your belief, but it is not mine. What gives you the right to determine my behavior based on your religious beliefs? If you believe it is a sin then don't do it, but let the rest of us make our own choices.

It is against ten commandments to kill yourself or someone else,the last time I checked it hasnt been revised,also I found a very interesting link about a girl who is paraplegic (paralysis of waist down).She talks about her experience

It's against YOUR commandments.

I have no need or desire to be subject to YOUR beliefs. This is America. NOT Iran ya know.

It should be EVERYONE's right to decide. Of course, you shouldn't have to help me if that not your thing. That's ok, I can find my own Angel of Mercy...

It is against ten commandments to kill yourself or someone else

Again, that is your belief. What gives you the right to impose that belief on others?

Ok if you want to have this scar on your soul it is up to you,not me...

LoveHospital,

Can't you just respect other people's beliefs???

If you intend on being a nurse you need to learn how to do this.

Without patronizing, insulting or judging them. Even I'm learning how to keep my big mouth shut. If I can do it then it can't be that hard.

In fact, even Jesus said "Judge not lest ye be judged!" ;)

Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.

i say yes! and not get into the defending my decision and leave it at that.

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