End of life decisions
There are many decisions we make in our lifetime that affect how we live our lives. We choose where we live, with whom we live, and how we live (education, marriage, children, career, etc.). Everyone knows that death is the inevitable end result regardless of those decisions; however we still attempt to control our circumstances. Death, however, has control over how and when it will occur. Of course, there are things we can do to facilitate its arrival, however in most cases death makes the decision. Why? Death should not be something that takes the dignity out of a person's life; it should be allowed to occur in a manner that suits the person's life, in terms of a patient who is dying of a terminal illness. There should not be a law that mandates suffering or pain for people who actively wish to die sooner rather than live longer in a manner that is not consistent with their normal life (i.e. Alzheimer's patients, some cancer patients, AIDS patients, etc.). There are both ethical and legal obligations that not only healthcare providers, but the government as well need to take into consideration in order to maintain a person's right to die.
Ethical responsibilities at the end of life
As a healthcare provider, it is critical that we behave in an ethical manner regardless of the situation we find ourselves in. Ethics are often thought of as concrete, no discussion principles, when in fact, they are oftentimes very dynamic and ever changing (AAPA, 2007). In regards to a patient's right to die, it is important that we look at four basic ethical principles and their impact on this incredibly difficult situation. First, there is the ethical principle of autonomy. ...