course materials

1. PHI 413V Grand Canyon University Week 4 Personal Experiences Learning
Discussion
PHI 413V Grand Canyon University Week 4 Personal Experiences Learning Discussion ON
PHI 413V Grand Canyon University Week 4 Personal Experiences Learning DiscussionPart
OneHow often do you engage with or witness death in your work? How has this experience
or the lack of it shaped your view of death? Has it gotten easier or harder for you to accept
the fact of death? As you explain, include your clinical specialty. (Labor and Delivery Nurse
and now Surgical Nurse)Part TwoReflect on the analysis of the sin of suicide and, thus,
euthanasia from the topic readings. Do you agree? Why or why not? Refer to the lecture and
topic readings in your response. (See attachment)Any Resources in APA formatPHI 413V
Grand Canyon University Week 4 Personal Experiences Learning
Discussionattachment_1Unformatted Attachment PreviewEuthanasia Gale Encyclopedia of
Nursing and Allied Health Definition Euthanasia is the act of putting a person (or animal) to
death painlessly, or allowing a person (or animal) to die by withholding medical treatment
in cases of incurable (and usually painful) disease. The word “euthanasia” comes from two
Greek words that mean “good death.” Euthanasia is sometimes called “mercy killing.”
Description Terms and categories It is important to distinguish euthanasia from “assisted
suicide,” which is sometimes used loosely as a synonym for euthanasia. Assisted suicide,
which is often called “self-deliverance” in Britain, refers to a person’s bringing about his or
her own death with the help of another person. Because the other person is often a
physician, the act is often called “doctor-assisted suicide.” Assisted suicide is illegal
everywhere in the United States except the state of Oregon, while euthanasia is illegal in all
fifty states. Euthanasia strictly speaking means that the physician or other person is the one
who performs the last act that causes death. For example, if a physician injects a patient
with a lethal overdose of a pain-killing medication, he or she is performing euthanasia. If the
physician leaves the patient with a loaded syringe and the patient injects himself or herself
with it, the act is an assisted suicide. Euthanasia is usually categorized as either active or
passive, and as either voluntary or involuntary. The first set of categories refers to the
means of ending life, and the second set of categories refers to the agent of the decision.
Active euthanasia involves putting a patient to death for merciful reasons; passive
euthanasia involves withholding medical care, or not doing something to prevent death. In
voluntary euthanasia, the patient is the one who wishes to die and has usually requested
either active or passive euthanasia. In involuntary euthanasia, someone else makes the

2. decision to terminate the patient’s life, usually because the patient is in a coma or otherwise
unable to make an informed request to die. Another important term to understand is the so-
called doctrine of double effect. This is a legal term that has been underscored by the United
States Supreme Court in one of its decisions. The doctrine of double effect states that a
medical treatment intended to relieve pain but that incidentally hastens the patient’s death
is still appropriate and legally acceptable. In other words, a doctor who gives a dying patient
high doses of morphine to prevent pain, knowing that such high doses may shorten the
patient’s life by a few days, is protected by the doctrine of double effect. Historical overview
Although euthanasia has been practiced in various human societies for centuries, it became
a major social issue only in the twentieth century. Some ancient societies allowed infants
born with serious birth defects to die, and some allowed the elderly to starve themselves to
death as a form of voluntary euthanasia. In addition, it was not unusual for soldiers on the
battlefield to give a death blow, or coup de grâce, to a mortally wounded comrade to
prevent him from being captured by the enemy as well as to end his suffering. The French
phrase literally means “stroke of mercy.” PHI 413V Grand Canyon University Week 4
Personal Experiences Learning DiscussionIn the nineteenth century, euthanasia became a
topic of ethical discussion partly because the
https://search.credoreference.com/savedresults discovery of reliable anesthetics and
analgesic (pain-killing) medications meant that painless death was now easier to bring
about. Prior to this period, the methods of suicide that were available to people were either
violent, painful, or uncertain—and sometimes all three. For example, when the heroine of
one mid-nineteenth-century French novel commits suicide by taking arsenic, the author
describes her agonizing death in clinical detail. But after the discovery of chloroform, ether,
nitrous oxide, and similar anesthetics, people began to consider using them to relieve the
suffering of the dying as well as the pain involved in surgical operations. In the twentieth
century, a number of social and technological changes made euthanasia a morally
acceptable choice to growing numbers of people. The Euthanasia Society of America (which
changed its name to the Society for the Right to Die in 1975) was founded as early as 1938.
One important change was the increasing size of the elderly population, a development that
resulted from the lengthening of the life span brought about by advances in medical science.
A second was the invention of respirators, intravenous feeding, dialysis machines, and other
means of prolonging a patient’s life even in cases of terminal illness. Discomfort at the
thought of ending one’s life at the mercy of machinery is frequently mentioned in public
opinion polls as a justification for euthanasia or assisted suicide. Another important
transition was a change in social attitudes in favor of individual freedom and autonomy,
rather than emphasizing a person’s membership in a family or community. Many people
today feel strongly that they are the best judges of their own well-being, and that they
should have the “right to die” if necessary. In late 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to
again take up the issue of assisted suicide in a challenge to Oregon’s Death with Dignity law.
The justices were to consider whether the U.S. attorney general could use federal drug-
control laws to punish physicians who prescribe deathhastening drugs to patients. In
October of that year, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments and on January 17, 2006, the
Court ruled 6–3 in favor of Oregon, upholding the law. Viewpoints Medical professionals

3. Many North American professional societies in the health care professions have stated their
opposition to active euthanasia. The American Medical Association (AMA) sponsored the
establishment of an Institute for Ethics in the late 1990s, intended to educate American
doctors about pain relief, palliative care at the end of life, and alleviation of patients’ fears.
The AMA has expressed its concern about the expansion of doctor-assisted suicide in the
Netherlands—which became legal in April 2001—to include euthanasia without the
patient’s knowledge or consent. The American Nurses Association (ANA) signed on to the
amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief submitted by the AMA to the United States Supreme
Court in 1997 opposing doctor-assisted suicide. The ANA also stated that the health care
professions should emphasize respectful, compassionate, and ethically responsible care at
the end of life, including palliative care, so that patients do not seek assisted suicide as an
alternative. Religious groups In the United States and Canada, most mainstream Christian
and Jewish groups remain opposed to active and involuntary euthanasia, though some
permit carefully regulated forms of passive euthanasia. Christian and Jewish groups
emphasize not only God’s ultimate power over death and life, and the value of human beings
as creatures made in God’s image, but also the relationships that
https://search.credoreference.com/savedresults bind humans to one another and to God.
From this perspective, these religious traditions stand in contrast to the individualism of
much of secular culture. PHI 413V Grand Canyon University Week 4 Personal Experiences
Learning DiscussionContemporary Buddhist thought is divided on the issue of euthanasia.
Some Buddhist ethicists believe that euthanasia and assisted suicide are both consistent
with Buddhist principles, but others disagree. One reason for the disagreement is the fact
that Buddhism encountered Western medicine and its ethical dilemmas only relatively
recently. Professional implications The goals of medicine and health care Euthanasia and
assisted suicide compel medical professionals to reexamine their understanding of the
purposes and goals of medical treatment. Those who maintain that preserving life and
doing no harm are central to the ethical practice of medicine will have a different view of
euthanasia from those who regard the relief of suffering as central. Professional-patient
relationships The brief that the AMA submitted to the Supreme Court in 1997 included
physician-patient relationships among its reasons for rejecting doctor-assisted suicide.
Many American and Canadian physicians believe that acceptance of doctor-assisted suicide
would undermine the credibility of the health care professions, and destroy trust between
doctors and patients. In addition, others have pointed to the potential abuse of a physician’s
power to end a patient’s life. Interprofessional consultation and cooperation Euthanasia and
assisted suicide are questions that involve public policy, the legal system, and religious
institutions as well as the health care professions. The complexity of the social and political
considerations, together with the moral concerns, requires better communication among
these different groups. One promising development has been the introduction of graduate-
level ethics courses that bring together students from law, medical, nursing, and theological
schools. Another has been the establishment of research centers and “think tanks” devoted
to end-of-life issues. KEY TERMS Active euthanasia— Putting a person to death as an act of
mercy, as when a physician gives a patient a lethal dose of a medication. Assisted suicide—
A form of self-inflicted death in which a person voluntarily brings about his or her own

4. death with the help of another, usually a physician, relative, or friend. Doctrine of double
effect— A legal principle that protects physicians treating patients to relieve pain even
though the palliative treatment may shorten the patient’s life. Mercy killing— Another term
for euthanasia. https://search.credoreference.com/savedresults Palliative care— A form of
health care intended to relieve pain without attempting to cure the disease or condition.
Passive euthanasia— The withholding of medical care, or not taking some other action to
prevent death; allowing a person to die. Self-deliverance— Another term for assisted
suicide. Voluntary euthanasia— A form of euthanasia in which a person asks to die, either
by active or by passive euthanasia. QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR What ethical
concerns should I be aware of when I am considering medical care for my ageing parent?
What is the best way for me to make my wishes about end-of-life choices known to my
family and to medical personnel? What individuals on a medical team can assist me with
making informed decisions regarding my well being and medical care? Are my religious
beliefs being taken into consideration with regard to the medical treatment options you
have outlined? Does this hospital have an ethics committee? Resources BOOKS Allen, James.
Health Law and Medical Ethics. Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River NJ, 2012. Dowbiggin, Ian. A
Concise History of Euthanasia: Life, Death, God, and Medicine. Rowman & Littlefield
Publishers Lanham MD, 2007. Hester, D. Micah; Toby Schonfeld, eds. Guidance for
Healthcare Ethics Committees. Cambridge University Press New York NY, 2012. Jackson,
Emily; John Keown. Debating Euthanasia. Hart Publishing Portland OR, 2012. Jonsen, Albert
R. A Short History of Medical Ethics. Oxford University Press New York NY, 2008.
Mackinnon, Barbara. Ethics: Theory and Contemporary Issues, Concise Edition, 2nd ed.
Wadsworth Publishing Belmont CA, 2012. PERIODICALS
https://search.credoreference.com/savedresults Frieden, Joyce. “President’s Ethics Council
Rejects Assisted Suicide.” Family Practice News (Oct. 15, 2005): 72. Halloran, Liz. “Of Life
and Death.” U.S. News & World Report (Oct. 10, 2005): 31. Johnson, Ian S. “Assisted Dying
for the Terminally Ill.” The Lancet (Oct. 22, 2005). 433-434. Marus, Robert. “High Court
Debates Assisted Suicide Law.” The Christian Century (Nov. 1, 2005). 13-14. O’Connor, John.
“Assisted Suicide Getting a Closer Look: PHI 413V Grand Canyon University Week 4
Personal Experiences Learning DiscussionAs Opposing Sides Gird for Battle, States, Feds,
and the Courts Will Play Major Roles.” McKnight’s Long-Term Care News (May 2005): 22.
Roosevelt, Margot. “Choosing Their Time: The Next Contentious End-of-Life Issue: Assisted
Suicide. How Oregon Offers a Way Out.” Time (April 4, 2005): 31. OTHER Administrative
Committee, National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Statement on Euthanasia. Adopted in
committee, September 1993. American Medical Association, Council on Ethical and Judicial
Affairs. 515 N. State Street., Chicago, IL 60654. (312) 645-5000. http://www.ama-
assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama/our-people/amacouncils/council-ethical-judicial-
affairs.page. Commission on Theology and Church Relations of the Lutheran Church-
Missouri Synod (LC-MS). Christian Care at Life’s End. Report adopted, February 1993.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Division for Church in Society. End of Life
Decisions. Statement adopted by the ELCA Church Council, November 1992. National
Association of Evangelicals (NAE). Termination of Medical Treatment. Resolution adopted
at the NAE Annual Conference Euthanasia, 1994. Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations.

5. Testimony before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing on the Pain
Relief Promotion Act, May 2, 2000. ORGANIZATIONS American Medical Association, 515 N.
State Street Chicago, IL 60654. (800) 621-8335. http://www.ama-assn.org/. American
Nurses Association. 8815 Georgia Ave., Ste. 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910. (800) 2744262.
http://www.nursingworld.org. Canadian Medical Association. 1867 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa
ON K1G 5W8. (613) 236-8864 or (888) 855-2555. Fax (613) 236-8864.
http://www.cma.ca/. Citizens United Resisting Euthanasia. 303 Truman St., Berkeley
Springs, WV 25411. (304) 2585433. http://mysite.verizon.net/cureltd/index.html.
Compassion & Choices. P.O. Box 101810, Denver, CO 80250. (800) 247-7421.
https://www.compassionand-choices.org/. Ken R. Wells Rebecca J. Frey, Ph.D. Laura Jean
Cataldo, RN, Ed.D. © 2013 Gale, Cengage Learning
https://search.credoreference.com/savedresults APA citation: Wells, K. R., Frey, R. J., &
Cataldo, L. J. (2013). Euthanasia. In Gale (Ed.), The Gale encyclopedia of nursing and allied
health (3rd ed.). Gale. Credo Reference: https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?
url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/galegnaah/euthanasia/0?institution
Id=5865 Need a different citation style? Find it on Credo Online Reference Service
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Week 4 Personal Experiences Learning Discussion