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In this paper, I will discuss advance directives, what they are, and the reasons for them
In this paper, I will discuss advance directives, what they are, and the reasons for them
In this paper, I will discuss advance directives, what they are, and the reasons for them
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Recommended: In this paper, I will discuss advance directives, what they are, and the reasons for them
May Surrogate Decisions Makers Terminate Care for a Person in a Persistent Vegetative State?
I. Introduction
A. Healthcare can be very controversial. One of the most challenging and difficult cases has involved patients diagnosed in a vegetative state. The main requirements for a diagnosis of PVD is at least one month in this state and no respond to purposeful stimuli. This point validates the important of advanced directives. PVD can be a lengthy disease process. Surrogate decision makers become involved and attempt to determine the patient’s wishes. This opens the door for definition of medical care means? Also is this diagnosis dependable and valid. The difficulty lies in determining mental status variations verses a vegetative state.
B. These articles are basically never going to come to a decision that supports each other’s thoughts. One decision that I believe is correct is that no one will probably agree on this topic and will continue to have two conflicting opinions. What is medically necessary? Was treatment for Terri Schiavo valuable for a recovery? Should treatment be continued or finished if it does not improve the patients’ health?
II. Reconstruction of main arguments
A Report to Governor
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End of life relating to persistent vegetative state. What defines end of life diagnosis or terminal disease process with less than 6 months to live? That is the exact argument that Tom Koch believes is why the wrong decision was made. Florida State said that no recovery possible bases on a long-lasting and irreversible condition. Those opposed to this philosophy argued that her condition was only end- stage and what would cause end of life is withholding and withdrawal of nutrition and hydration. Which provokes the next argument? If all cerebral function had ceased would Terri have been able to suffer? Did Terri have the sense of personhood? Personhood is defined, as an existential attribute that meaning is grounded on ones relationship to
Sebastian Pether’s piece of work called The Eruption of Vesuvius (1835) combines the silver watery reflection of the moon with the hot red molten lava that is flowing down its mountainsides. Though during Pether’s generation he wasn’t the only one to paint the well-known Mount Vesuvius, Joseph Wright of Derby also painted 30 paintings of the volcano. This art piece is currently located at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The piece is oil media on panel that is framed with a beautifully designed border, where it is hanging on a wall in the one of the rooms, with a one-dimension view. The quality of the piece owes itself to the color and lighting, which captures your immediate attention and guides the viewer through the piece.
The case had a many important questions to it. In one question: is physician-assisted suicide morally, ethically, legally correct, and/or fair to anyone?
In February of 1990 a woman named Terri Schiavo collapsed at home suffering cardiac arrest in her home in St. Petersburg, Florida. She was resuscitated but had severe brain damage because she had no oxygen going to her brain for several minutes. Terri was severely brain damaged and in a vegetative state but could still breathe and maintain a heart beat on her own. After two and a half months and no signs of improvement, impaired vision, and the inability to move her arms and legs she needed a feeding tube to sustain her life since she seemed to be in a persistent vegetative state. For 2 years doctors attempted speech and physical therapy with no success. In 1998 Schiavos husband claimed she would not want to live in that quality of life without a prospect of recovery so he tried several times over the course of many years to pull the feeding tube so she could pass. Bob and Mary Schindler challenged and fought for a
When making decisions regarding treatment of another person, it is important to respect the expressed wishes of the individual. John says that his mother would want to live as long as she could, but questions arise related to her quality of life and perception of prolonged suffering by prolonging the dying process. The book states that quality of life changes throughout one’s life and experiences.
In Sullivan versus Rachel’s on euthanasia I will show that James Rachel’s argument is logically stronger than Sullivan’s argument. I will present examples given by both authors regarding their arguments and also on their conclusions about it. I will explain both of the author’s logical strengths and weaknesses in their arguments. I will give the examples given by both authors on how they prove their arguments to be true and later I will decide whose argument is stronger based on their strengths and weaknesses. I will give one of Rachel’s main strong arguments and one of Sullivan’s very weak arguments. I will also show if both of the author’s premises follow from the conclusion. And at the end I will give my opinion on my personal reasons on whose I think makes more sense in presenting their arguments.
Even though Barbara’s intentions in this paper are directly stated, her claims she gives does not back her argument at all. After reading her major claim, which states that we do not have the right to die (97), I feel the complete opposite of what she thinks and I believe a person should have the right to die if there is no chance of them getting better in the future. The author’s grounds explained all of the struggles of keeping a very sick man alive, which I believe gave me some very good evidence to write my counter argument.
According to the NICE (2015) health and social care professionals should always seek valid consent from people with dementia. This should entail informing the person of options, and checking that he or she understands, that there is no coercion and that he or she continues to consent over time. If the person lacks the capacity to make a decision, the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 must be followed. The nurse assessed the patient capacity and ensured that the decision made was in the best interest of the patient. The doctor uses specialist knowledge and experience and clinical judgement, and the patient’s views and understanding of their condition, to identify which investigations or treatments are likely to result in overall benefit for the patient (GMC, 2008). They took into consideration how the decision made will benefit Jean. After carrying out a full assessment, it was clear that Jean lack capacity and was therefore place under the mental capacity act
However, this approach not only lacks objectivity, but it also fails to acknowledge the abnormal physiology that precedes this breakdown in self-care. For instance, it has been reported that 70% of patients preceding cardio-pulmonary arrest had a physiological decline in respiratory or mental function (Schein et al 1990). Observing deterioration in activities of daily living alone does not accurately mirror underlying physiological deterioration occurring in patients.
...d how these determinations effect a physician’s approach to various types of critically ill patients? These types of questions come in to play when one attempts to critically analyze the differences between the types of terminally ill patients and the subtle ethical/legal nuances between withholding and withdrawing treatment. According to a review by Larry Gostin and Robert Weir about Nancy Cruzan, “…courts examine the physician’s respect for the desires of the patient and the level of care administered. A rule forbidding physicians from discontinuing a treatment that could have been withheld initially will discourage doctors from attempting certain types of care and force them prematurely to allow a patient to die. Physicians must be free to exercise their best professional judgment, especially when facing the sensitive question of whether to administer treatment.”
However, despite the support that this right to die movement had gained, there was opposition as states like California, Michigan, and Maine rejected it. The divided opinions of the nation then lead to the controversial question: Should terminally ill patients have the right to choose to die? However, with religion aside, the answer leans towards “yes.” Terminally ill patients should have the righ...
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.
Some weaknesses of this analysis is not having enough background information on the pros of hastening death. There were more examples from ill patient’s decisions then the factual statements of the issues. Although, there is nothing wrong with giving personal experiences of agreeing to the position, it would have been more supportive to the “yes” side with more data from Oregon or Washington. In addition, some of my strengths were finding the right articles to back up the “yes” side of the issue. The articles that were found provided terminally ill patient’s point of view and their love one’s point of view. Also, there were a lot of information pertaining about an individual’s rights that definitely support a big part in the controversy. In addition, an assumption error of this analysis is that technology and medicine are prolonging an individual’s life. I think that I could have looked more into this and give some data that actually prove the statement, instead of going off of what an article
Those susceptible to being put on life support include “brain dead” and “vegetative” persons. The term “brain dead” is used for individuals who lack activity within the brain, thus why some functions (i.e. swallowing and breathing) are incapable of being performed. However those in a “vegetative” state may be able to perform these tasks, despite being severely, mentally crippled (Doyle 1).
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.
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