Advanced Directives Argumentative Essay

1023 Words3 Pages

Prior to discussing why Advanced Directives are so essential the definition of Advanced Directives is crucial. An Advanced Directive is made up of several legal components which ultimately online the patient’s wishes if one was to be incapacitated or unable to verbally make wishes know regarding healthcare. The understanding of what a living will and a durable power of attorney both need to be discussed before one is able to compare and contrast. A living will ensures that anyone reading this paper will understand how the patient wanted to continue their form of treatment. With a living will anyone ranging from patients to healthcare professions should be able to determine the specific actions the patients would want taken if they are unable to make said wishes known. A …show more content…

Consequently, she was left in what most assumed to be a vegetative state for years eventually because her husband continued to advocate for her right to die she was unplugged and died soon after. This case served as a warning for most people who didn’t really consider Advanced Directives before. Are family members sure of what lengths should or shouldn’t be taken worst case scenario. Repeatedly this has proven not to be the case. Death or dying is always a taboo subject however, when high profile cases like this arise people are forced to evaluate their own lives? A study regarding knowledge about advance directives conducted in 2004 suggested that there was a direct correlation between attitudes, financial stability and the number of people who had advanced directives. Surprisingly this same study discovered that doctors or healthcare professions assumed it was the patient’s duty to seek out

Show More
Related

  • Argumentative Essay On Dementia

    1172 Words  | 3 Pages

    In What Dying People Want, Kuhl comments, "Dying involves choice"(xviii). People choose what they wear, what they do, and what they will eat on a day to day basis. Choosing how, when, or why sick people die is just like an everyday decision for them. This however, has not been accomplished by some individuals in this Country. Americans have the right of choice. When a patient communicates the desire to die, the inspection of acceptability for palliative care begins instantly. Inspections include evaluation of pain management, depression, anxiety, family burnout, spirituality and other observed issues (Baird and Rosenbaum 100). When working or living with an elder, never ignore the words "I want to die". If this is ignored, that person will not receive their wishes they deserve. Countries are starting to understand that people should be able to die if they choose, "In the United States there are assisted dying laws restricted to terminally ill and mentally competent adults" (Firth). The assisted dying law is only in Oregon, Montana, Washington, Vermont, and California. That is five states out of fifty states. This must be expanded to all fifty states because all individuals have the right of this law. In 2013, Vermont passed an "End of Life Choices" bill. This bill allows terminally ill people to get

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Lisa Belkin's First Do No Harm

    1364 Words  | 3 Pages

    The one example of this that I found most relevant in the book is the situation of Armando. Armando was shot and the bullet lodged in the spinal canal. It caused enough damage to make him a paraplegic, but not enough to kill him. The ethics committee had decided that it was best to encompass a DNR because he had no health insurance, and his quality of life was not what it was before. When the doctors went to approve this with Armando, he denied the DNR and said that he wanted what ever was necessary to be done to him to save his life (Belkin p. 58-59). This made Cindy worried for the cost of keeping him alive was substantial. All the doctors and caretakers believed that he should be placed under DNR, however that was not what Armando wanted. The doctors believed that was the wrong decision. This correlates to what the quote was from the book on page 70; doctors can tend to be narrow-minded when it comes to the care of a patient. They believe that their course of action is the best and do not agree if the patient wants something different. This I have found is also true in my own personal experience with doctors. For example, when I was about 17 my wisdom teeth were growing in. I was in terrible pan from two of my wisdom teeth being impacted. My

    Read More

  • Dilemmas in Elderly Healthcare: Mrs. Takahashi's Case

    1106 Words  | 3 Pages

    Takahashi’s past wishes will help the healthcare team understand the patient’s current quality of life relative to her being before the onset of dementia and even prior to the stroke. A person’s quality of life appears different to different people, hence the disagreement among grandchildren. Mrs. Takahashi has a 5-10% chance of returning to a life of meaningful quality with aggressive treatment that will more than likely include significant suffering. Physicians in the past have noted that when treating patients similar to Mrs. Takahashi the healing process was not always effective, patients were susceptible to other illnesses, and mobility was fixed to a wheelchair or bed at best. A study conducted by Morrison and Siu (2000) followed acutely ill patients with end stage dementia and a poor prognosis to determine if emphasis should switch from curative interventions to palliative care. The first group of participants included demented patients with either pneumonia or hip fractures, and the second group included cognitively intact older adults with similar injuries. The researchers found that for the elderly with pneumonia, the mortality rate was 53% in demented patients and only 13% for non-demented patients. An identical trend was seen in the participants with hip fractures, producing a mortality rate of 55% in demented patients and 12% in non-demented individuals. Both types of participants received an equal amount of intense procedures yet mortality rates drastically differed, leading to the conclusion that healthcare teams should focus their efforts to enhance comfort in the demented patient population (Morrison & Siu 2000). Given the poor prognosis, the Ethics Committee finds it imperative that the healthcare team learn more about Mrs. Takahashi’s preferences and family relationships prior to dementia and recommend treating the patient via palliative care if there is no substantial improvement in her health after a limited time of aggressive

    Read More

  • Advance Care Directives

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    No healthcare professional or hospital can force a person to make an advance directive if they do not want one. Although they are extremely encouraged, hospitals and doctors may not discriminate against anyone that does not have an advance directive. Advance directives are more so that the patient has a say in their end-of-life care even if they are unable to make the decisions at that time. It is helpful for doctors and other healthcare professionals because it allows them to provide better patient-centered care. If a person does not have an advance directive, the state of Indiana allows any member of the person’s immediate family or someone appointed by the court to make decisions for them. A person will get care more suitable for their personal beliefs if they write a living will or have a power of attorney.

    Read More

  • Mental Capacity Act 2005 Essay

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    Social Attitudes Survey noted that 78% of respondents believe that “the law should require doctors to carry out the instructions of a Living Will” (Park et al, 2007). These decisions become important once patients lose their mental capacity, are unconscious, or unable to communicate” (BMA, 2009). The Mental Capacity Act 2005 defines an “advance decision” as a decision made by a person 18 or over, when he or she has the capacity to do so. The implications of a Living Will, make the case against legalising assisted dying weaker. This is because if a person is legally allowed to set out which treatments they will or will not agree to, and can refuse life sustaining treatments by creating a legal document, then why shouldn’t an individual in extreme pain who is able to make the request at the time be able to ask for assistance in

    Read More

  • A Tender Hand In The Presence Of Death

    796 Words  | 2 Pages

    In A Tender Hand in the Presence of Death, Heather, the nurse, would put in IVs and feeding tubes in hopes of prolonging hospice care even when they were ineffective in order to give more time to the families who were having trouble letting go (MacFarquhar, 2016). In my personal situation, I can relate, as two of my grandparents have passed away from cancer and suffered for a long time before passing. Although it was incredibly sad and our families bargained for more time, there was some peace in knowing that the suffering had come to an end once they passed. For our own selfish reasons, we want as much time as possible with our loved ones who are suffering and close to death, but in reality, the decision for assisted suicide should only concern the individual whose life it

    Read More

  • Immanuel Kant's The Quinlan Case

    1386 Words  | 3 Pages

    In an effort to provide the standard of care for such a patient the treating physicians placed Ms. Quinlan on mechanical ventilation preserving her basic life function. Ms. Quinlan’s condition persisted in a vegetative state for an extended period of time creating the ethical dilemma of quality of life, the right to choose, the right to privacy, and the end of life decision. The Quilan family believed they had their daughter’s best interests and her own personal wishes with regard to end of life treatment. The case became complicated with regard to Karen’s long-term care from the perspective of the attending physicians, the medical community, the legal community local/state/federal case law and the catholic hospital tenants. The attending physicians believed their obligation was to preserve life but feared legal action both criminal and malpractice if they instituted end of life procedures. There was prior case law to provide guidance for legal resolution of this case. The catholic hospital in New Jersey, St. Clare’s, and Vatican stated this was going down a slippery slope to legalization of euthanasia. The case continued for 11 years and 2 months with gaining national attention. The resolution was obtained following Karen’s father being granted guardianship and ultimately made decisions on Karen’s behalf regarding future medical

    Read More

  • Advance Directives In Nursing Care

    120 Words  | 1 Pages

    Apart from physicians, nursing professionals act as patient advocate in supporting end-of- life decisions as they spend maximum time with patients than any other member of the healthcare team. In many health care settings, the nurse has the responsibility of asking the patient about advance directives. Since each state identifies different laws regarding advance directives, it is important that nurses be aware of the rules of these documents for the purpose of accuracy and compliance. The nurses are required to document any conversations about advance directives in the patient's medical record and keep it timely and updated. Nurses can play vital role in resolving conflicts arising from moral and ethical issues related to advance care planning

    Read More

  • Patient Assisted Suicide

    1881 Words  | 4 Pages

    One of the greatest dangers facing chronic and terminally ill patients is the grey area regarding PAS. In the Netherlands, there are strict criteria for the practice of PAS. Despite such stringencies, the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (1992) found 28% of the PAS cases in the Netherlands did not meet the criteria. The evidence suggests some of the patient’s lives may have ended prematurely or involuntarily. This problem can be addressed via advance directives. These directives would be written by competent individuals explaining their decision to be aided in dying when they are no longer capable of making medical decisions. These interpretations are largely defined by ones morals, understanding of ethics, individual attitudes, religious and cultural values.

    Read More

  • The Ethical Dilemma of Assisted Suicide for Nurses

    863 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...endent judgments about their own fate. In keeping with this trend there is now a growing drive to review the current laws on euthanasia and assisted suicide.” (McCormack, 1998) Nurses are faced with various ethical dilemmas every day. If theses ethical decisions are not treated in a professional manner there can be harsh consequences for both the patient and the nurse.

    Read More

  • The Ethical Dilemma of Assisted Suicide

    2261 Words  | 5 Pages

    When a patient is given PAS as an option it is ultimately their decision. However, Professor Raphael Cohen- Almagor of Hull University, said: “The decision as to which life is no longer ‘worth living’ is not in the hands of the patient but in the hands of the doctor.”(SPUC) Moreover, in Belgium, where euthanasia is legal, in 2013 the deaths of 1.7 people in every 100 people were hastened without the explicit request of the patient. National Right to Live News says, “vulnerable people feel pressured to choose death” and “saying to elderly, vulnerable people: ‘would you like us to help you die now?’ immediately makes them feel that their life has no worth.” In addition, some people feel vulnerable and obligated to continue with PAS. Daniel Callahan, a bioethicist says, “A lot of seriously ill people already feel they’re a burden because they’re costing their families money.”(Humphry) It is often said the decision is the patient’s, but it’s difficult to deny that often times they’re persuaded in some

    Read More

  • DR): Advance Directive Or Advance Directive?

    1102 Words  | 3 Pages

    Advance directives might have many guidelines for patient’s preferences with regard to any number of life-affecting, or end of life situations, such as chronic disease or accident resulting in traumatic injury. It can include directions for other health situations, such as short-term unconsciousness, impairment by Alzheimer disease or dementia. These guidelines may consider do-not- resuscitate (DNR) orders if the heart or breathing stops, tube-feeding, or organ and tissue donation. The directive might name a specific person, or proxy, to direct care or may be very general with only basic instructions given for treatment in time of the incapacitation of a patient. Some states say that if you do not have a written directive, a spoken directive is acceptable.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Physician Assisted Suicide

    1130 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the many concerns is allowing incompetent individuals making this irreversible decision, which is why, “all have agreed that this end-of-life option should apply on to competent individual’s”(113). In addition, people opposed to this method argue that patients demanding this process are suffering from depression and not able to make decisions; yet, Rosenfled explains that practitioners most ensure that patients who consent to this medical intervention do it voluntarily, knowingly and

    Read More

  • Essay On End Of Life Care Plan

    1361 Words  | 3 Pages

    The care of patients at the end of their live should be as humane and respectful to help them cope with the accompanying prognosis of the end of their lives. The reality of this situation is that all too often, the care a patient receives at the end of their life is quite different and generally not performed well. The healthcare system of the United States does not perform well within the scope of providing the patient with by all means a distress and pain free palliative or hospice care plan. To often patients do not have a specific plan implemented on how they wish to have their end of life care carried out for them. End of life decisions are frequently left to the decision of family member's or physicians who may not know what the patient needs are beforehand or is not acting in the patient's best wishes. This places the unenviable task of choosing care for the patient instead of the patient having a carefully written out plan on how to carry out their final days. A strategy that can improve the rate of care that patients receive and improve the healthcare system in general would be to have the patient create a end of life care plan with their primary care physician one to two years prior to when the physician feels that the patient is near the end of their life. This would put the decision making power on the patient and it would improve the quality of care the patient receives when they are at the end of their life. By developing a specific care plan, the patient would be in control of their wishes on how they would like their care to be handled when the time of death nears. We can identify strengths and weakness with this strategy and implement changes to the strategy to improve the overall system of care with...

    Read More

  • Ethical Issues Of Euthanasia

    1581 Words  | 4 Pages

    However it can also make room for medical, legal and ethical dilemmas. Advances in medical technology enable individuals to delay the inevitable fate of death, overcome cancer, diabetes, and various traumatic injuries. Our advances in medical technologies now allow these individuals to do things on their own terms. The “terminally ill” state is described as having an incurable or irreversible condition that has a high probability of causing death within a relatively short time with or without treatment (Guest, p.3, 1998). A wide range of degenerative diseases can fall into either category, ranging from, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease and many forms of cancer. This control, however, lays assistance, whether direct or indirect, from a

    Read More

More about Advanced Directives Argumentative Essay

Open Document