Right to die

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Hi y'all. My sis is writing a paper about "Right to die" and is needing some input for her paper. I told her I would consult all ya nurses here and get some opinions.

So what do y'all think. Give me some opinions. For or against and why? Thanks:)

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Specializes in Rural Health.

I believe it to be a personel choice for the patient and their family. There are too many variables, thus making it impossible for me to decide if it's right or wrong for any one person.

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Specializes in Women's health & post-partum.

There's lots of stuff on the web, under "Right to Die", "Assisted Suicide", "Euthanasia", etc.

I live in Oregon, where assisted suicide is legal (the physician can prescribe the oral drugs, but the individuals must take it themselves, without assistance). We've had relatively few people use this means to end their lives--more have received the prescriptions than have used them.

There is a very sad story in today's paper of a 42-year-old woman who ended her own life after a lifetime of pain and depression (not an assisted suicide--she used a "cocktail of powerful drugs she had on hand"). She had lost her job of 18 years in a down-sizing and was unable to find another. She was confined to a wheelchair, had rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease and diabetes. She drained her savings to pay for her health insurance and prescription drugs. She had friends and family who loved her, but she still chose this way. I can't help wondering if our health delivery system were somehow different she'd still be alive.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

It is a tough topic to talk about...there is no right answer, and I believe it is a personal choice that one has to make...no one else can help the person with their decision.

I will say that I am a firm believer in the "right to die." I cannot see why a patient has to go on living for in pain, and having someone else care for them for the rest of their life. The quality of living is what is most important to me. When someone is not able to enjoy their lives, what is the purpose? I personally would not want to be an emotional, financial, and physical burdon on any of my family members, if the time were ever to come. :stone

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There's lots of stuff on the web, under "Right to Die", "Assisted Suicide", "Euthanasia", etc.

I live in Oregon, where assisted suicide is legal (the physician can prescribe the oral drugs, but the individuals must take it themselves, without assistance). We've had relatively few people use this means to end their lives--more have received the prescriptions than have used them.

There is a very sad story in today's paper of a 42-year-old woman who ended her own life after a lifetime of pain and depression (not an assisted suicide--she used a "cocktail of powerful drugs she had on hand"). She had lost her job of 18 years in a down-sizing and was unable to find another. She was confined to a wheelchair, had rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease and diabetes. She drained her savings to pay for her health insurance and prescription drugs. She had friends and family who loved her, but she still chose this way. I can't help wondering if our health delivery system were somehow different she'd still be alive.

Can't say what I would have done in that situation of course but I believe it should be mine, or the patient's, final decision, or the family's, not the government's.

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I personally do not believe in euthanasia. I believe I have been put her to fulfill a purpose, and who am I to question it? I will go when my time expires, not when man (not even myself) decides.

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Specializes in Step down, ICU, ER, PACU, Amb. Surg.

I must agree with the opinions already stated here. It is a very personal choice and there are no right or wrong answers. I can not put enough emphasis on the need to respect the rights and wishes of the family and patient, no matter how hard it is for you as a healthcare professional to swallow. I have found, that no matter how hard it is, it is always more rewarding to lend support to the family, letting them know that you are there and support them in their decision and give the best damn care that you can provide and be an advocate for the patient and their family.

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Thanks for all your opinions. Like I said in my first post. I was just looking for opinions. Not right or wrong answers!

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I am solidly in favor of having the freedom to choose to have professional help to assist you if you decide to control the time of your death. The best argument against assisted suicide that I have heard is how long does it take this option to become an obligation? Why doesn't grandma just die and stop wasting our inheritance? At what point does it become eugenics?

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My thoughts regarding this subject are fairly open. How cud I feel that I cud really decide and feel that I wud have a right to tell someone else of what was right or wrong if it appeared that they had truly given real thought to their situation, their pain, and their own wishes regarding themselves and their loved ones. By 'right to die' I am assuming that we are not talking about suicide, of which we have a far too large a number. I am thinking that we are discussing 'close to the end of life', perhaps considerable pain, perhaps long term meds management to help allieviate same pain. What creates no or less harm?

We recently had a trial regarding 'assistive suicide' and noting it in the media it began to feel as though it were moving out of control, to me anyway. There can be sometimes in our busy lives a time when we almost get to believe, or rather take in the size of the headlines and assume justice will be done w/out us watching closely. But free countrie are built on a premise of innocent until PROVEN guilty. In this case, after all the bruhaha and some demonizing of a 70 plus year old woman from a small town she was aquited. It came down to her being 'willing to sit w them' so they wudn't feel alone & frightened.

There will be a time in the future I believe that we shall look back & see how we grappled w these difficult questions. I believe it's impt not to mix them too-euthanasia; right to die; more. Best wishes . . .

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Specializes in NICU.

I think there is a big difference in the way people use the the term "right to life". I believe everyone has the right to die, to refuse treatment, and allow nature to take it's course. I don't have a problem with giving pain meds during that time.

Unfortunately, to me the "Right to Life" movement means that we must do everything we can to keep people alive, despite their quality of life. It means that people should not be allowed to die, but be kept ventilated and fed as long as possible.

I don't agree with what is happening in the Netherlands, where several babies have been euthanized when they had life threatening conditions. They have had a Euthanasia law for years, but someone else has been making the decision to kill the babies. That appears to be what the Nazis did, started small then as the ball got rolling, the camps were opened.

I don't want to be kept alive, if I don't have a life as well!

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Thanx. I've never heard of the incident in Holland of which you speak. All best. Happy Holiday Season. : -) There are humans at large.

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