Lecture 5 - End Of Life Flashcards
What is the definition of euthanasia ?
A good death
The act of deliberately ending a persons life to relieve suffering
What is active euthanasia?
A deliberate act to end someone’s life to relieve suffering
What is passive euthanasia?
Withholding or withdrawing treatment to end a persons life to relieve treatment
What is voluntary euathaniasa?
The patient has requested for their life to be ended
What is non voluntary euthanasia?
Euthanasia without patient consent (or unable to give consent)
What is the definition of assisted suicide?
The act of deliberately assisting another person to kill themselves
(E.g obtaining strong sedatives for a relative that you know wants to kill themselves)
What is physician assisted dying?
Prescribing life ending drugs for terminally ill, mentally competent adults to administer themselves after meeting strict legal safeguards
What is the legal stand point for euthanasia or physician assisted dying in the UK?
Illegal (treated as murder)
What are some things that a doctor can do that is considered assisted suicide?
Advise parents on what is a fatal dose
Advise on anti-emetics in relation to planned OD
Suggest option of suicide abroad
Pass on info via social media that might encourage people to end their life
What is assisted dying?
Enabling adults who are terminally ill to be provided at their request with specified assistance to end their own life
What is considered terminally ill?
Progressive illness where death is likely within the next 6 months
What is the BMAs current stand point on assisted dying?
Neutral
What are the 4 main ethical principles?
Autonomy
Non maleficence
Beneficence.
Justice
How does euthanasia concern autonomy ?
Have to respect a persons freedom to choose what’s right for them, but we dont allow that to happen with euthanasia
How does euthanasia concern non maleficence ?
To do no harm
Can be argued
May be less harmful to allow patient death to relieve suffering but would be considered harmful allowing patient to die
How does euthanasia concern beneficence?
All choices for a patient are made with the intent to do good
What is considered the best decision for the patient
How does euthanasia concern justice ?
Treat and provide care fairly to all patients
What is the doctrine of doubles effect?
What allows health care professionals to administer potentially fatal medication as long as the intention is to purely control symptoms and not kill the patient
If patient dies then legally they are fine, if they prescribe with intent to kill that’s illegal
What is hospice care?
Care for patients who are living with an incurable illness
Period from initial terminal diagnosis to end of life care
(Style of holistic care not a building)
What is DNACPR?
Do Not Attempt CarrdioPulmonary Resusiciation
Why is it difficult to assess the success of DNACPR?
Is success just to bring person back tot life/resuscitate or for the patient to have a good quality of life following resus
Who can make a DNACPR decision?
Patient
Doctor (but must tell patient that you wont resuscitate)
A patient cannot demand CPR if a Dr thinks that its not ini their best interest
What is the use of a ReSPECT form?
Process tot create personalised recommendations on decisions for future emergencies (patient preference and clinical judgment)
