Euthanasia

Amber Lauer

Purdue Global

HA405 Leadership and Ethics in Healthcare

Professor Murray

October 10th, 2020

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Euthanasia

Euthanasia. What is it and what does it mean? The word euthanasia comes from the

Greek word “a good death.” (Krasemann & Thiroux, 2015). This idea also means merciless

death. When a terminally ill patient dies of a natural death without any interference from medical

science, it is referred to as “allowing someone to die”. “Allowing someone to die implies an

essential recognition that there is a point in any terminal illness when further curative treatment

has no purpose and that a patient in this situation should be allowed to die a natural death in

comfort, peace, and dignity” (Krasemann, 2014). This would be considered passive euthanasia.

Passive and active are two major kinds of euthanasia. Passive is the process of allowing someone

to die. “Active euthanasia is deliberately doing something that causes a patient to die”. (BBC

2014). Active euthanasia is more of a forced death. That is why it took on the name “Mercy

killing” in the twentieth century as a legal form of killing.

"Mercy death" is another term used with euthanasia. It’s a physician or medical

professional assisted suicide which is ending a patient's life because the patient has voluntarily

requested it and is usually encountered in patients with terminal illnesses

and those in intolerable circumstances. As Thiroux and Krasemann explained, the purpose of this

is to assist a very sick or terminally ill patient with the desire to end their life that either do not

have the courage to do it themselves or are physically unable to do so (p.197, 2015).  Methods of

Physician Assisted Suicide include turning off life support equipment or administering lethal

medication cocktails. Mercy death is prohibited in 39 states and most countries of the world

because it is classified under illegal homicide statues.

The United States, though, was founded on individual freedoms.  One of these freedoms

is that people can decide if, when, and how to end their life if they so desire. Death is a natural

component of life. As an administrator it is my duty to respect and care for the well-being of my
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patients. Many terminally ill patients' lives are prolonged through the use of supportive care such

as dialysis, ECMO, ventilators, etc., anyways.  For a terminally ill patient, all this may do is

prolong what is a painful and unfulfilling existence.  As a result, I feel there should be other

alternatives. A request to not want to feel any more pain should be allowed. But there should be

certain "safeguards" that are met prior to a request of a Physician Assisted Suicide.  Russell's

Safeguards are a great example of when it should be allowed:

1) should be permissive rather than mandatory or compulsory - they are of sound mind

2) there can be no secrecy

3) there has to be a written, notarized request

4) an advisory panel is to be used - explored all avenues for a possible alternative

5) several doctors must be involved

6) a waiting period will be required

“It will be a criminal offense to falsify any documents, coerce patients or next of kin, or perform

any malpractice involving any act of euthanasia” (Thiroux & Krasemann, p.202, 2015).

In addition to these safeguards, it should be determined by the board of doctors that the patient

has a terminal illness with no cure. Once these safeguards have been met, it would then and only

then be ethical for the Physicians to assist the patient with their suicide. And once cleared,

perhaps a supportive doctor would be able to offer cognitive therapy to any patient experiencing

guilt or insecurities so that they may pass with an eased mind. I’m noy saying it’s ethical but

who am I to make that call. Thank you.

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References:

Krasemann, J. W. (2014). Ethics: Theory and Practice (Updated Edition). Pearson Learning

Solutions, Retrieved from

https://purdueuniversityglobal.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323130162

Thiroux, J. P. & Krasemann, K. W. (2015).  Ethics: Theory and Practice (11th ed.). Pearson

Education, Inc.

https://purdueuniversityglobal.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323130162/cfi/6/2!/4/2@0:

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BBC 2014 Ethics Active and passive euthanasia Retrieved from

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/euthanasia/overview/activepassive_1.shtml