DIGNITY IN

DEATH AND
DYING
BIOETHICS
DIGNITY IN DEATH AND DYING
DYING WITH DIGNITY = MOVEMENT THAT PROMOTES THE ABILITY
TO MEET DEATH ON YOUR OWN TERMS.

EUTHANASIA: A DOCTOR IS ALLOWED

BY LAW TO END A PERSON’S LIFE BY
A PAINLESS MEANS, AS LONG AS THE
PATIENT AND THEIR FAMILY AGREE.
 EUTHANASIA
VOLUNTARY NON-VOLUNTARY
When euthanasia is conducted with When euthanasia is conducted on a person
consent. Voluntary euthanasia is currenlty who is unable to consent due to their current
legal in Belgium, Luxemberg, the health condition. In this scenario the
decision is made by another appropriate
Netherlands, Switzerland and States of
person, on behalf of the patient, based on
Oregon and Washington in the U.S
their quility of life and suffering.
INVOLUNTARY
When euthanasia is performed on a person who would be able to
provide informed consent, but does not, either because they dont want
to die, or because they are not asked. This is called murder, as it’s often
againts the patients will.
 INVIOLABILITY OF HUMAN LIFE
o The concept of inviolability is an important tie between the ethics of religion and the
ethics of law, as each seeks justification for its principles as based on both purity and
natural concept, as well as in university of application.

o In religion and ethics, the inviolability of sanctity of life is a principle of implied

protection regarding aspects of sentient life that are said to be holy, sacred or
otherwise of such value that they are not to be violated.

o The phrase sanctity of life refers to the idea that human life is sacred, holy and
precious, argued mainly by the pro-life side in political and moral debates over such
controversial issues as abortion, contraception, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell
research and the “right to die” in the United states, Canada, United Kingdom and
other English-speaking countries.
 DYSTHANASIA
A term generally used when a
person is seen to be kept alive
artificially in a condition where,
otherwise, they cannot survive;
sometimes for some sort of
ulterior (intentionally
hidden/future) motive.
 ORTHOTHANASIA

A normal or natural manner of

death and dying. Sometimes used
to denote the deliberate stopping
of artificial or heroic means of
maintaining life
Passive euthanasia, see there.
ADMINISTRATION OF DRUGS TO THE DYING
o In medicine, specifically in end-of-life care, palliative sedation is the
practice of relieving distress in a terminally ill person in the last hours
or days of dying patient’s life, usually by means of continuous
intravenous or subcutaneous infusion of a sedative drug, or by means
of a specialized catheter designed to provide comfortable and discreet
administration of ongoing medication via the rectal route.
o Palliative sedation is an option of last resort for patients whose
symptoms cannot be controlled by any other means.
o It is not a form of euthanasia, as the goal of palliative sedation is to
control symptoms, rather than to shorten the patient’s life.
 Advance Directives
Are legal documents that allow you to spell out your decisions about
end-of-life care ahead of time. They give you a way to tell your
wishes to family, friends and health care professionals and to avoid
confusion later on.
The Living Will Durable power of attorney for health
The living will is a legal document used to care/Medical power of attorney
state certain future health care decisions
A durable power of attorney for health
only when a person becomes unable to
care is a legal document in which you
make the decisions and choices on their
name a person to be a proxy (agent) to
own.
make all your health care decisions if you
became unable to do so.
END OF LIFE CARE PLAN OR DNR
End of life care includes palliative care. If you have an
illness that can't be cured, based on the understanding that
death is inevitable. palliative care makes you as
comfortable as possible, by managing your pain and other
distressing symptoms. It also involves psychological, social
and spiritual support for you and your family or careers.
WHEN DOES END OF LIFE CARE
BEGIN?
o have an advanced incurable illness, such as cancer, dementia or
motor neuron disease are generally frail and have co-existing
conditions that mean they are expected to die within 12 months
o have existing conditions if they are at risk of dying from a sudden
crisis in their condition
o have a life-threatening acute condition caused by a sudden
catastrophic event, such as an accident or stroke
Nursing roles and responsibilities
● treat people compassionately
● listen to people
● communicate clearly and sensitively
● identify and meet the communication
needs of each individual
● acknowledge pain and distress and take
action
● recognize when someone may be
entering the last few days and hours of
life
● involve people in decisions about their
care and respect their wishes
● keep the person who is reaching the end
of their life and those important to them
up to date with any changes in condition
● document a summary of conversations
and decisions
● seek further advice if needed
● look after yourself and your colleagues
and seek support if you need it
● Learning from complaints
● Care of the person
choosing among alternatives in a manner consistent with ethical
principles. In making ethical decisions, it is necessary to perceive and
eliminate unethical options and select the best ethical alternative

The process of making ethical decisions requires:

•Commitment: The desire to do the right thing regardless of the
cost
•Consciousness: The awareness to act consistently and apply
moral convictions to daily behavior
•Competency: The ability to collect and evaluate information,
develop alternatives, and foresee potential consequences and risks
Good decisions are both ethical and effective:
Ethical decisions generate and sustain trust; demonstrate respect,
responsibility, fairness and caring; and are consistent with good
citizenship. These behaviors provide a foundation for making better
decisions by setting the ground rules for our behavior.

Effective decisions are effective if they accomplish what we want

accomplished and if they advance our purposes. The key to making effective
decisions is to think about choices in terms of their ability to accomplish our
most important goals. This means we have to understand the difference between
immediate and short-term goals and longer-range goals.
THANKS