Death with dignity is a very important topic as it can provide patients with a sense of comfort and give respect during their late stages of life. End of life can be challenging for patient as they experience a roller coaster of emotions including pain. Personally, I agree with physician assisted death as it gives the patient the control over their care. Instead of suffering from a terminal illness and waiting for themselves to die, it gives the patient the choice and terms on when they would like to no longer exist. I had a family member who was suffering from cancer and it was very challenging to watch them suffer knowing there is nothing that can be done. This topic can be challenging for some to discuss as they can have personal experiences that influence their viewpoint. Further research can be beneficial as it can provide more information on the topic and how it can affect patient care.
After viewing various literature, I have learned a great deal of information on death with dignity. I was surprised with how many states in the US have this process for patients. I assumed, with it being a very controversial topic, that there would be only one or two jurisdictions that allowed assisted death. With this, I also learned about some of the criteria that accompanies it. The patient must be of a certain age, be diagnosed with a terminal illness, and have decision making capacity. This process can challenge the first ethical principle of nonmaleficence as it directly causes the patient to die. This can a difficult concept as it is counteracting on what nurses and health care providers pride themselves on. Yet, the great picture should be looked at in these scenarios. If the patient can make decisions and a terminally ill diagnosis is made, then the decision should be in the hands of the patient. Death with dignity should be a “treatment” option that of which a patient can elect to go proceed with. This “treatment” option would be accompanied with consent and all other required documents for procedures. Healthcare workers look to help the quality of life in patients and with death with dignity, this can be accommodated. When dealing with terminally ill patient, health care workers are only providing comforting measure and prolonging the patient’s life, yet it may not be improving quality at all. Looking at the big picture can shed light into how a patient is feeling and can ultimately lead to providing the best care that health care workers can.
