Chapter 3 Flashcards
Intentional commission of an act, such as providing a patient a lethal dose of a medication that results in death; voluntary
Active euthanasia
Lifesaving treatment is withdraw or withheld allowing the terminally ill patient to die; involuntary
Passive euthanasia
Occurs when a person suffering an incurable illness makes the decision to die
Voluntary euthanasia
Occurs when the decision to terminate the life of an incurable person is made by someone other than the incurable person
Involuntary euthanasia
Physician voluntarily aids a patient in bringing about his or her death
Physician assisted suicide
Allows a terminally ill Oregon resident to obtain a lethal dose of medication from his or her physician
Oregon Death with Dignity Act
Provides that patients have a right to formulate advance directives and to make decisions regarding their health care
Patient self determination act
Written instructions expressing one’s health care wishes in the event that he or she becomes incapacitated and is unable to make decisions
Advance directives
Individual who has been designated to make decisions on behalf of an individual determined incapable of making his or her decisions
Surrogate decision maker
Instrument or legal document that describes those treatments an individual wishes or does not wish to receive should he or she become incapacitated and unable to communicate treatment decisions
Living will
Legal instrument enabling an individual to act on another’s behalf
Durable power of attorney
Form of surrogate decision making where the surrogate attempts to establish what decision the patient would have made if that patient were competent to do so
Substituted judgement
Legal mechanism by which the court declares a person incompetent and assigns a guardian
Guardianship
Allows a person to appoint a health care agent to make treatment decisions in the event he or she becomes incompetent and can’t make decisions for themselves
Health care proxy
Physician recognizes that a treatment would no longer benefit the patient
Futility of treatment
Decision not to initiate treatment or medical intervention for the patient
Witholding of treatment
Decision to discontinue treatment or medical interventions for the patient
Withdrawal of treatment
Mary Scholendorff was suffering from a stomach disorder, while she was under anesthesia, a tumor was removed. Gangrene and amputation of several fingers without her permission
Scholendorff vs. Society of New York Hospital
What is the significance of Scholendorff vs. Society of New York Hospital case?
There was no informed consent or autonomy
Storar was dying of cancer who was incompetent and guardian denied blood transfusions which lead to his death;
In Re Storar
Quinlan was the modern right to die movement; Quinlan collapsed and fell into a coma which lead to a vegetative state. Guardian requested to remove the ventilator but hospital denied.
In Re Quinlan
What was the significance of the Quinlan case?
Addressed whether euthanasia should be allowed
Balances state’s rights (saving someones life) and substituted judgement/patient’s interest
Balance test
Saikewicz was incompetent and issue brought up if life saving treatment was required; Saikewicz refused further treatment for his leukemia
Superintendent of Belchertown state school vs saikewickz
What is the significance of the Dinnerstein case?
No code orders are valid to prevent the use of artificial resuscitative measures on incompetent terminally ill patients
What is the significance of the Spring case?
Patient’s mental impairment and his or her medical prognosis with or without treatment must be considered prior to seeking judicial approval to withdraw or withhold treatment from an incompetent patient
When do courts get involved in ethical dilemmas?
Family members disagree, physicians disagree on a prognosis, patient’s wishes are unknown since they’ve been incompetent, malpractice could exist
All brain functions including the brain stem loses sensation
Death
What are some intentions to why they reject prolongation of life by artificial means?
Persistence of statements, beliefs, seriousness, surrounding circumstances
Parents decided that they wanted to remove feeding tube since their daughter’s roommate said that she wouldn’t want to live if she is dying; granted the parent’s request to remove the feeding tube
Nancy Cruzan case
