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Euthanasia originates from the Greek language meaning ‘good death’ or ‘gentle and easy death’ (The Life Resources Charitable Trust, 2011). Euthanasia is the deliberate and intentional act of one person to end another’s life to relieve that persons suffering. There are three different types of euthanasia; voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary euthanasia is at the request of a competent person to end their life. Non-voluntary euthanasia is performed and the person is not competent. Involuntary euthanasia is performed on someone who is competent but has not expressed their desire to end their life or has stated they do not want to die (QUT, 2017).
Assisted suicide is different to euthanasia and suicide. Suicide is the act of killing
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Autonomy is undermined by the concept of the best option for the patient and the patients right to choose. Without the legalization of euthanasia patients can’t legally exercise their right to consider all options. According to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, in the code of conduct for nurses in Australia, Principle 3.6 under end-of-life care, Nurses have a vital role in helping the community to deal with the reality of death and its consequences. Part ‘a’ of this principle suggests that nurses must understand the limits of healthcare in prolonging life, and recognise when efforts to prolong life may not be in the best interest of the person. While euthanasia is illegal nurses are not able to accept the limits of health care in prolonging life or accept that ending someone’s life to end that persons suffering may be in the best interest of the …show more content…
(2017, September 20). Euthanasia and Assisted Dying. Retrieved from End of life Law in Australia: https://end-of-life.qut.edu.au/euthanasia
The Life Resources Charitable Trust. (2011). A General History of Euthanasia . Retrieved from A New Zealand resource of life related issues: http://www.life.org.nz/euthanasia/abouteuthanasia/history-euthanasia1/Default.htm
The life resource charitable trust. (2011). Basic Arguments About Euthanasia. Retrieved from A New Zealand resource for life related issues: http://www.life.org.nz/euthanasia/euthanasia3/Default.htm
The life resource charitable trust. (2011). Economic Aspects of Euthanasia. Retrieved from A New Zealand resource for life related issues: http://www.life.org.nz/euthanasia/euthanasiapoliticalkeyissues/economics/ Campbell, J. (2003). Get a Life! - Euthanasia and Human Values. Retrieved from Independent Living Institute:
The word Euthanasia comes from the Greek and means “good death” (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/hp.asp) and in the range of this paper, it will be called physician assisted suicide or “active” euthanasia. The definition of “active” euthanasia is ending one’s life yourself or with aid of a doctor. It can be done in various different ways; however, the most common form is with a combination of drugs, usually given by a physician. ( http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/hp.asp) The reason Physician Assisted Suicide (or PAS) is an important issue in this country and around the world is that there are many people out there suffering from debilitating, incurable and intensely painful diseases that would like to end their lives with dignity and without suffering. (Leo & Lein, 2010, The Value of a Planned Death)
Euthanasia is an issue so interwoven within human rights and ethics that it cannot be ignored and must be addressed with Australian society. As the Euthanasia debate consists of many different arguments and stakeholders, one issue cannot be addressed and evaluated without consulting the “bigger picture”. Evidently, if Euthanasia became legal throughout Australia, there would be many implications that would follow. Firstly, religious parties would not agree with the decision that has been made, and would possibly rally and protest against those hospitals and health care centres that acted upon euthanasia laws.
However, the framework in practice is very complex, and has various inconsistencies, such as the legality of refusing treatment, the sovereignty of a living will and the issue of prosecuting those who assist someone to end their lives. There is evidence that shows doctors using palliative sedation as a means to facilitate death in patients that are in extreme pain and the use of limiting or even stopping treatment at the patient’s request is not uncommon. The difficulties of putting the law into practice make it extremely difficult for courts, legislators and doctors to reach clear decisions on individual cases. Therefore, the inconsistencies in the legal framework need to be addressed, as with these present the argument against legalising the right to die is weakened. Legalising assisted dying would simplify the framework and ensure that set barriers and safeguards could be created in order to protect the patient and his/her
The Web. 2 May 2011. “Euthanasia.” Literary Reference Center. Web.
This essay will present in detail and with documentation the formation and growth and stated goals of the euthanasia movement in our country.
Paul, P 2002, Euthanasia and assisted suicide, American Demographics, vol. 24, no. 10, pp. 20-21, viewed 30 April 2014, .
[3] S. R. Benatar, "Dying and ' euthanasia'," South African Medical Journal = Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Geneeskunde, vol. 82, pp. 35, 1992.
“Euthanasia is defined as a deliberate act undertaken by one person with the intention of ending life of another person to relieve that person's suffering and where the act is the cause of death.”(Gupta, Bhatnagar and Mishra) Some define it as mercy killing. Euthanasia may be voluntary, non voluntary and involuntary. When terminally ill patient consented to end his or her life, it is called voluntary euthanasia. Non voluntary euthanasia occurs when the suffering person never consented nor requested to end a life. These patients are incompetent to decide because they are either minor, in a comatose stage or have mental conditions. Involuntary euthanasia is conducted when it is against the will of the patient (Gupta, Bhatnagar, Mishra). Euthanasia can be either passive or active. Passive euthanasia means life-sustaining treatments are withheld and nothing is done to keep the patient alive. Active euthanasia occurs when a physician do something by giving drugs or substances that ends a patient’s life. (Medical News Today)
Dougherty, Charles J. & Co. “Legalizing Euthanasia Would Harm Society.” Euthanasia- Opposing Viewpoints. Ed.
... Association. 1998. “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.” Canadian Medical Association Board of Directors. Retrieved from http://www.cma.ca/index.php/ci_id/3214/la_id/1.htm on October 16th, 2010.
Thus, despite the arguments against euthanasia, patients’ lives should not be deprived of well-being, comfort or dignity. “In the last stage of life, every person is entitled to a high standard of care and a stable environment in which his or her privacy is respected” (Policy Options, 2013). A lot of the time, patients with terminal illnesses are thought of as ‘better off dead’ or ‘not the person they used to be’. This is all the more the reason why euthanasia should be legalized in Canada. The government should relax current laws and allow doctors to participate in assisted suicide if need be and are willing. If people suffering with terminal illnesses want to die peacefully and not endure painful procedures or live off machines whilst also helping society out money wise, the option should be available.
Kuhse, Helga. “Euthanasia.” A Companion to Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Malden: Blackwell Publishing, 1991. 294-302. Print.
Robert Matz; Daniel P. Sudmasy; Edward D. Pallegrino. "Euthanasia: Morals and Ethics." Archives of Internal Medicine 1999: p1815 Aug. 9, 1999 .
Yip,J. (2009). Euthanasia : An Overview. Canadian Point of View: Euthanasia, 1. Retrieved from Canadian Points of View Reference Centre database.
‘Mercy’, ‘dignity’, ‘good’ and ‘self-determination’ are the moral basis that the advocates for euthanasia defend. How appealing they sound, their accounts are simply an attempt to escape from dying process, through which we still hold our existence. The argument of pro-euthanasia might suggest that we are able to control over our life and death without moral conflict because such values related to euthanasia can justify the action of killing.