Euthanasia And Healthcare Workers

Euthanasia means different things to different people. The definition provided by www.euthanasia.com states that euthanasia is “the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is "intentional". If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia)”. There are several key definitions listed on the euthanasia site such as voluntary euthanasia, involuntary euthanasia, assisted suicide, and euthanasia by action or omission. There are those who feel that euthanasia is an act of compassion at the end of ones life, while others such as www.euthanasia.com state that they “are committed to the fundamental belief that the intentional killing of another person is wrong.” The information outlined in this paper will help the reader to identify an understanding of what euthanasia is, how this practice is viewed by the rest of the world where the services are legal, the pros and cons, the affect it has on healthcare workers, patient centered experiences, as well as what patients use as an alternative to this practice.

The roots of euthanasia can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome, before Christianity became widespread in the region according to Dowbiggin (2003). The attitudes of the Greeks and Romans found it socially acceptable to include infanticide, active euthanasia, and suicide as a means to end suffering in the face of prolonged suffering and agony (Dowbiggin 2003). At this time of paganism there was no defined belief in the inherent value of individualized human life, so the likelihood of physicians performing abortions or mercy killings was very high (Dowbiggin 2003). Although there was a Hippocratic Oath during this time few followed the oath ...

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...f-Determination, the Right to Die, and Culture: A Literature Review. Social Work, 56(2), 119-128.

http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/frequently-asked-questions/

ProCon.org. (2010, September 28). Historical Timeline. Euthanasia.ProCon.org. Retrieved from http://euthanasia.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000130

Dowbiggin, I. R. (2003). A merciful end: the Euthanasia movement in modern America. Oxford [England: Oxford University Press.

Worrying undercurrent of economics in debate on euthanasia. (Reville, W. 2010, December 16). Irish Times,20.

Ian Frazer. (2011, July 16). The final frontier Dr Philip Nitschke talks about voluntary euthanasia. Townsville Bulletin,311.

Margaret Somerville. (2009, November 6). Euthanasia would hurt doctors; We must consider the damage to medicine if physicians are allowed to kill. The Ottawa Citizen,A.15.