Euthanasia
Carlisa Thornhill
Everglades University
Euthanasia
There is a long history surrounding the acceptance or rejection of euthanasia for the terminally ill. It is still an important and controversial topic for many today. Euthanasia is “defined as intentionally, knowingly and directly acting to cause the death of another person”. (Marker, 2013). This means that one has the personal autonomy to request for the cessation of their own lives at the hands of their doctors. Those who are for euthanasia consider it as a mercy killing because the patient’s quality of life is generally poor. Those who are against euthanasia see it as a slippery slope that will lead to the option of euthanizing being non-voluntary and a means of health …show more content…
In a 1999 article, written by Nurse Paralegal Molly Sullivan, the debate over euthanasia and nonmaleficence for nurses and caregivers is thoroughly discussed. Sullivan defines the four forms of euthanasia. There is passive euthanasia, where the patient is allowed to die without intervention. Voluntary active euthanasia, in which a patient of sound mind requests assistance with dying and someone consents. Next is nonvoluntary active euthanasia. This can be construed as a mercy killing because the patient is in a vegetative state and cannot consent; also lawfully considered homicide. Lastly, there is involuntary active euthanasia, where the person is killed despite their requests to live, such as in capital punishment. (Sullivan, …show more content…
“In countries where euthanasia is permitted (Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) the existence of intolerable suffering is one of several prerequisites for granting euthanasia requests” (Karlsson, 2012). The study was done on a selection of sixty-six patients with cancer in a palliative phase. Each patient was interviewed and “analyzed using qualitative content analysis with no predetermined categories…on [their] perspectives of dying cancer patients on euthanasia, a good death, and dignity” (Karlsson,
Carlisa Thornhill
Everglades University
Euthanasia
There is a long history surrounding the acceptance or rejection of euthanasia for the terminally ill. It is still an important and controversial topic for many today. Euthanasia is “defined as intentionally, knowingly and directly acting to cause the death of another person”. (Marker, 2013). This means that one has the personal autonomy to request for the cessation of their own lives at the hands of their doctors. Those who are for euthanasia consider it as a mercy killing because the patient’s quality of life is generally poor. Those who are against euthanasia see it as a slippery slope that will lead to the option of euthanizing being non-voluntary and a means of health …show more content…
In a 1999 article, written by Nurse Paralegal Molly Sullivan, the debate over euthanasia and nonmaleficence for nurses and caregivers is thoroughly discussed. Sullivan defines the four forms of euthanasia. There is passive euthanasia, where the patient is allowed to die without intervention. Voluntary active euthanasia, in which a patient of sound mind requests assistance with dying and someone consents. Next is nonvoluntary active euthanasia. This can be construed as a mercy killing because the patient is in a vegetative state and cannot consent; also lawfully considered homicide. Lastly, there is involuntary active euthanasia, where the person is killed despite their requests to live, such as in capital punishment. (Sullivan, …show more content…
“In countries where euthanasia is permitted (Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands) the existence of intolerable suffering is one of several prerequisites for granting euthanasia requests” (Karlsson, 2012). The study was done on a selection of sixty-six patients with cancer in a palliative phase. Each patient was interviewed and “analyzed using qualitative content analysis with no predetermined categories…on [their] perspectives of dying cancer patients on euthanasia, a good death, and dignity” (Karlsson,