In the article “Should I Help My Patients Die?”, Jessica Nutik Zitter, a critical care and palliative medicine doctor at Highland Hospital, argues that special qualifications and training should be required for doctors to perform the lethal injection in order to guarantee that each patient gets properly evaluated and the doctor does not feel the emotional distress that comes with making this decision without proper training. Zitter describes how she felt when her first patient asked her for the lethal medication, while she understood their medical prognosis and that it was their legal right to request it from her; she asked herself was it still fair for her to say no?
Another problem that she brings up is that the procedure is not covered by …show more content…
I concur with the fact that only qualified doctors should be able to perform the assisted suicide and that patients should be properly evaluated. However, I disagree with the fact that the doctors are able to deny you this procedure solely based on their opinion, even if the patients meet all of the requirements. I do agree with the fact that we need to address the price of this procedure and make sure that each patient can afford it, especially with medical insurance.
Overall, I approve of Zitter’s opinion on assisted suicide and believe that it is ultimately the patient's decision as long as all of the criteria set by law is met.
I agree with Zitter when she states that more qualified doctors should evaluate patients in order to determine if they are qualified to end their life with the lethal injection. She emphasises the fact that “we need to take formal protocols, official procedures, outcome measurements, even a certificate of expertise issued by an oversight board” (Zitter). The states that the End of Life Option Act is legal in, do not have proper protocols to deal with this situation and most of the decisions, including the content of the injection is left up to the doctor or hospital policy. I believe that doctors with little to no special training should not be allowed to administer such an important procedure. The extra special training will insure that doctors evaluate patients to the best of their ability, know how to make the best cocktail of drugs that will work flawlessly on each individual patient and do not feel unprepared or unqualified to make such a big
Another problem that she brings up is that the procedure is not covered by …show more content…
I concur with the fact that only qualified doctors should be able to perform the assisted suicide and that patients should be properly evaluated. However, I disagree with the fact that the doctors are able to deny you this procedure solely based on their opinion, even if the patients meet all of the requirements. I do agree with the fact that we need to address the price of this procedure and make sure that each patient can afford it, especially with medical insurance.
Overall, I approve of Zitter’s opinion on assisted suicide and believe that it is ultimately the patient's decision as long as all of the criteria set by law is met.
I agree with Zitter when she states that more qualified doctors should evaluate patients in order to determine if they are qualified to end their life with the lethal injection. She emphasises the fact that “we need to take formal protocols, official procedures, outcome measurements, even a certificate of expertise issued by an oversight board” (Zitter). The states that the End of Life Option Act is legal in, do not have proper protocols to deal with this situation and most of the decisions, including the content of the injection is left up to the doctor or hospital policy. I believe that doctors with little to no special training should not be allowed to administer such an important procedure. The extra special training will insure that doctors evaluate patients to the best of their ability, know how to make the best cocktail of drugs that will work flawlessly on each individual patient and do not feel unprepared or unqualified to make such a big