End of life issues

Question 1

What is palliative care?

Answer 1

An approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by treatment of pain and other physical, psychosocial and spiritual problems.

Question 2

What is voluntary euthanasia?

Answer 2

Causing the death of a competent person at their own request to relieve suffering.

Question 3

What is non-voluntary euthanasia?

Answer 3

Causing the death of a non-competent person to relieve suffering.

Question 4

What is involuntary euthanasia?

Answer 4

Causing the death of a competent person but has not expressed the wish to do or has expressed that they do not wish to die.

Question 5

What is a mercy killing?

Answer 5

Causing the death of a person without their consent to relieve suffering. Usually involves long-term personal suffering and sacrifice and evoke sympathy for victim and killer.
Involuntary euthanasia.

Question 6

What is assisted suicide?

Answer 6

When a medical professional provides the means of taking one’s own life, such as a drug, but it is the patient who acts last.

Question 7

What is voluntary assisted dying?

Answer 7

Involves the process of a doctor providing the means necessary to end one’s own life, when the patient is terminal and experiencing immense suffering that is unable to be relieved.

Question 8

Is an Advance Care Plan legally binding?

Answer 8

An Advance Care Plan includes a treatment directive that is legally binding.

Question 9

The Doctrine of Double Effect requires that:

Answer 9

A healthcare practitioner provides pain relief even when this may hasten a person’s death.

Question 10

Definitions of death:

Answer 10

1. Irreversible cessation of circulation of blood in the body
   OR
2. Irreversible cessation of all function of the brain of a person