The Choice Of Physician Assisted Suicide - 1441 Words

Acceptance of Physician-Assisted Suicide Imagine sitting in the doctor’s office waiting to hear the results of a recent test that was done. The doctor comes into the room and breaks the news that you have a debilitating illness that will continue to progress quickly, eventually leaving you in a vegetative state. Knowing that there is no cure, and not many options for treatment, what would be the next step to consider? If you had the option to die, would you take it? Physician-assisted suicide remains a controversial topic in today’s society. With its political, social, and ethical issues, many questions arise on the topic of whether more states should legalize it or not. This paper will discuss the ethical, social, and political†¦show more content†¦To qualify for a prescription under physician-assisted dying laws an individual must be: a resident of California, Oregon, Vermont, or Washington, 18 years of age or older, mentally competent (i.e. capable of making and communicating health care decisions), and diagnosed with a terminal illness that will, within reasonable medical judgment, lead to death within six months (Death with Dignity National Center, 2011). Recently, the right- to- initiative has been put on the November ballot in Colorado in hopes of being passed. Supporters have already raised over 5 million dollars, but Coloradoans with disabilities claim the measure would target them – the prescription to die would cost less than lifelong medical care, they argue (Brown, 2016). When a person has a debilitating illness, it can take away their independence and prevent them from carrying out their day-to-day activities. They may feel like a burden to their family and caregivers because they will have to solely rely on someone to help them at all times. Some patients state that diminished functioning undermined their sense of dignity and their inability to perform daily living activities, which was often related to feelings of hopelessness and of feeling useless (Rodrà ­guez-Prat, Monforte-Royo, PortaSales, Escribano, Balaguer, 2016). I believe that it is a right to make these decisions which give individuals dignity and autono my. In healthcare, we are taught to support patient dignity