The Ethical Responsibility Of Assisted Suicide - 1274 Words

As defined by Merriam- Webster, physician assisted suicide is: â€Å"suicide by a patient facilitated by means or information (as a drug prescription or indication of the lethal dosage) provided by a physician aware of the patient’s intent.† Implicit in the term suicide, is that life has been prematurely ended due to desperation and hopelessness. However, in most cases Behuniak Svenson (2003) argue that suicide is mostly performed under unstable mental conditions of the patient and therefore any suicide be stopped due to ethical reasons. In general, the medical fraternity assumes that persons who exhibit suicidal characteristics have their decision making capacity compromised. To these persons, physicians have the ethical responsibility of†¦show more content†¦The first condition is that the patient should be mentally eligible to make such a decision. Secondly, the patient must be prescribed with a terminally ill condition and that such a patient has a life expectancy of six months or less. Such a patient must also provide the request for terminating own life in writing for the physician. Finally, the patient should also be a resident of the said state and of adult age, that is 18 years and older. The main argument in support of Physician assisted Suicide is that every competent individual has the right to decide on the manner in which to live life. That autonomy should also be extended to persons suffering from terminal conditions and therefore should control the timing and the manner of death they wish to face (Hawkins, 2002). Every person has the option to live quality life and avert any suffering and pain and be allowed to do in a dignified manner. Thus terminally ill patient should allowed to die in dignity without the need to face any anguish and that this autonomy must not be taken away from them. Proponents of physician assisted suicide further argue that the sanctity of life is dramatically reduced when an individual is diagnosed with a terminal disease (Kopelman Allen, 2001). Such a life will be characterizedShow MoreRelatedEuthanasia and Assisted Suicide1645 Words   |  7 Pagesphysician-assisted suicide are actions at the core of what it means to be human - the moral and ethical actions that make us who we are, or who we ought to be. Euthanasia, a subject known in the twenty-first century, is subject to many discussions about ethical permissibility, which date back to as far as ancient Greece and Rome. It was not until the Hippocratic School removed the practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide from medical practice. Euthanasia in itself raises many ethical dilemmasRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma of Assisted Suicide for Nurses878 Words   |  4 Pagesin a way that is abiding with the ethical responsibilities of the nursing profession and quality in nursing care. 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In today’s society, physician-assisted suicide brings so many ehtical questions as such, who is the true owner of our lives? Should releiving pain and suffering always be the highest priority, or does it occure for a reason?Read MoreThe Legal Ethics Of Assisted Suicide1130 Words   |  5 Pagessignificant reexamination and for the most part, experience continued support of the legal system. Ethical/Legal Model The issue of assisted suicide places the advanced practice nurse in a precarious ethical and legal position. While the goal of the nurse is to provide care for the patient and to provide appropriate and safe responses to patient requests, assisted suicide is quite the dilemma in regards to a request to perform acts considered illegal with criminal implications and forfeiture of licensureRead MoreEthics of Euthanasia Essay1475 Words   |  6 Pagestype of relief from this hardship, even if that relief is suicide. Euthanasia or assisted suicide is where a physician would give a patient an aid in dying. â€Å"Assisted suicide is a controversial medical and ethical issue based on the question of whether, in certain situations, Medical practioners should be allowed to help patients actively determine the time and circumstances of their death† (Lee). â€Å"Arguments for and against assisted suicide (sometimes called the â€Å"right to die† debate) are complicated