Euthanasia Essay -- Ethical Issues, Physician Assisted Suicide

It is the principle of conduct which requires us (healthc ar workers) to act in a way that benefits others (patients) by preventing or removing harm, or more directly acting to produce a good Due to the nature of the job, it can be said that nurses ofttimes have to deal with the situtaion of ethical dilemas. Because we live in a culturaly diverse society, our values argon not necessarily the same. This often gives the leeway for ethical dilemas such as, whether euthanasia and assisted self-destruction are moraly right or scathe. Euthanasia is defined as a turn over intervention or omission with the express intention of hastening or cease an individuals life, to relieve intractable pain or suffering (Sanders, 2007). Assisted suicide refers to making available to an individual the means (for example, pills or a weapon) to accede his or her own life (Michele, 2004). Euthanasia and assisted suicide are argued to be done to relieve a patient from pain and suffering, as yet tha t can be countered. It is important for one to consider the reasoning lowlife why people ask for euthanasia or assisted suicide. In the case of Mr. Maxwell, who is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis for more than 10 years and is requesting for euthanasia. Morally, I do not support his request to remove his ventilator because it is unethical. This report focuses on why euthanasia and assisted suicide are wrong from the perspective of autonomy, nonmaleficence and conventionality-utilitarianism. Very good Autonomy Autonomy is usually utilise to justify the act of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Autonomy is said to be the right to self-government. Within the contexts of moral and bioethical philosophy it is the capacity of a shrewd individual to make an informed, un-coerced d... ...st cases, they are not well informed slightly other options they might have. It is the role of the nurse to provide the patient with other alternatives other than suicide. The autonomy of the pati ent is important, but not absolute. (Quadhebeur, 2009) Realizing that the nurses role is not to do harm is as well important, because when nurses are seen as both care givers and killers, it makes it hard for patients to put their trust on nurses. As the rule utilitarian will argue, it is important to do what is morally right. Not kill an innocent human being is right in this situation, and this theory should be adhered to. Finally, it can be argued that euthanasia is too drastic an intervention to be used for patients at the end of their life this is because it makes dealing correctly with stopping point almost impossible and it is also irreversible (Quaghebeur, 2009).