5.7 Euthanasia and PC Flashcards
What is the consistent essential element in euthanasia, physician assisted suicide, and assisted suicide? How do they differ?
together they comprise drug induced assisted dying . Voluntary patient request is a key concept in all three
euthanasia - medical administration of life ending drugs at a patient’s explicit request
PAS - doctor provides medication for patient to self administer
Assisted suicide - an act in which a lay person gives drugs to a patient for self administration
What is the relationship between a wish to die statement and the desire from a patient for their life to be over?
Not the same thing - often wish to die is an expression of something
Can be an expression of something else - poor symptoms, existential distress
If a patient makes a wish to die statement but does not truly wish their life to be over what two functions could their statement have
expression of physical suffering
expression of emotional/existential suffering
You are a palliative care provider in the community hospital and you have been consulted to see patient who has been making wish to die statements. What will be your first task upon seeing the patient?
to explore reasons behind wish to die statement and clarify whether they are asking for MAID or not
symptom review
List the most common reasons patients seek an assisted death
deterioration loss of independence loss of dignity loss of autonomy depression tiredness of life decreasing ability to participate in activities that make life enjoyable intolerable suffering 2/2 to symptoms of fear thereof
Name the FOUR principles approach to healthcare ethics
◆ beneficence
- obligations to provide benefit and to balance benefits to risk
◆ Non-maleficence
- obligation to avoid causing harm
◆ Respect for autonomy
- obligation to respect decision making capacities of autonomous person
◆ Justice
- obligations of fairness in distribution of benefits & risks
