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Ethical, Moral and Legal Issues in Assisted Suicide
Introduction
In nursing, nurses and practitioners play a significant role in providing care for patients at the end-of-life stage across various healthcare settings. Their role is to provide expert care throughout the continuum of life and towards the end of the patients life (Lachman, 2010). They manage the bio-psychosocial as well as spiritual needs of terminally ill patients and their families.
However, working with terminally ill patients and those heading towards death (especially those experiencing great pain) is a difficult situation that raises several ethical, moral, and legal issues (Lachman, 2010). Among the most important issues is the idea of hastened death (Ersek, 2008). In my case, the ethical, legal, and moral dilemma arises because I am supposed to respect the patients decision, yet I must protect human life, inform the family members and avoid physician-assisted suicide.
The ethical, moral, and legal issues arising in nurse-assisted suicide
When the patient requests her nurse to assist her in committing suicide or provide the appropriate environment to take the action, the nurse should consider several legal, ethical and moral issues before making the appropriate decision (Ersek, 2008). Notably, the consequences of allowing the patient to commit suicide, whether assisted or not, are clear because the nurse is aware of the patients intention and he is supposed to provide the patient with the required support during her end-of-life period (Lachman, 2010).
First, in most American states, it is not a crime to commit suicide. Most of these laws are based on the notion that humans have the right to choose what to do with life, provided that their actions do not cause harm to someone else (Ersek, 2008). Nevertheless, most states consider aiding an individual or facilitating a person to commit suicide as a criminal act. Humans have a duty of care to protect life. An individual who witnesses a person committing suicide and takes no action to protect the life of the person has committed a crime (Ersek, 2008). Therefore, my patient has the right to choose death to relieve pain and suffering. However, the law prohibits me from assisting the patient or providing her with the appropriate environment for committing suicide. As such, a legal dilemma arises.
Secondly, an ethical and moral dilemma is likely to arise because I must protect my precious life and provide the best possible care, but it is also my moral duty to respect the clients decision. According to Hudson, Schofield, and Kelly (2006), humans are obliged to ensure that their colleagues are relieved of their suffering and pain humanely. In addition, it is the role of society to ensure that every persons dignity is respected. Morally, I must ensure that the only remaining option in relieving the pain is considered. In this case, death is the only option open to her. In particular, the patients choice must be respected (Lachman, 2010).
Nevertheless, we have a moral duty to protect and respect life because it is precious. No man can create life. Therefore, no man should destroy life. If the nurse allows the patient to commit suicide, he violates the fundamental duty of respecting and respecting life at all costs.
Ethically, the act of letting the patient commit suicide is partly correct because it respects her choice and decision, including her request not to disclose the intentions to her family (Lachman, 2010). Nevertheless, failing to inform the family is unethical because the role of the nurse is to ensure that family members are involved in making decisions involving the patients care and life.
Conclusion
In this case, the most appropriate action is to discourage the patient from going on with her plans. Instead, she should be encouraged to discuss the issue with her family members in the presence of the nurse and psychologists.
References
Ersek, M. (2008). The continuing challenge of assisted death. J Hosp Palliat Nurs, 6(1), 46-59.
Hudson, P. L., Schofield, P., & Kelly, B. (2006). Responding to desire to die statements from patients with advanced disease: recommendations for health professionals. Pall Med, 20(2), 703-710.
Lachman, V. D. (2010). Physician-assisted suicide: Compassionate liberation or murder? MedSurg, Journal, 19(2), 121125.
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