When a patient who is in a great deal of pain, weak, and close to death makes a request taht seems at odds with a decisons he made whn he may have been more fully autonomous, which request should guide those caring for him?
2006-07-18 11:34:26 · 6 answers · asked by Randy E 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
i would have to say the wishes at the time. i had a friend who was dying of cancer, and when it got close to the end, she was in so much pain. her parents actually helped her to die. they gave her the pain meds that were prescribed but not her cancer meds. they didn't want her to have to suffer. if an animal was dying or suffering we would put it to sleep and end its suffering but to do that with a human is considered unethically. it seems like we treat animals more humanely than we do people. i think a person should have a right to decide to end their life it they are in pain and dying anyway.
2006-07-18 11:51:38 · answer #1 · answered by cutelea 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Personally I feel the physician should respect the patient's wishes as they stand at the moment. People change their minds about things all the time, for reasons that noone could understand unless you know that person intimately. Unless the person is asking the physician to do something that violates their code of ethics, the physician should comply with the patient's wishes.
Of course, this is assuming that the person is able to make reasoned decisions. If they are on death's door, they may be out of their mind with pain, or simply delusional. In this case, an intimate family member should be granted a power of attorney by a qualified court, and that person should make decisions for the patient.
Often times, doctors can be conflicted by their natural desire to save people's lives, and a human wish to see a person's suffering end. The physician's duty is not to make ethical decisions for the patient, but to render medical aid. This benefits everyone, including the doctor, as no one person can be made to feel a sense of total responsibility for a person's death.
2006-07-18 11:46:31 · answer #2 · answered by Danzarth 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In general the patients's wishes are followed so long as that person is sane.
If the patient is insane or otherwise unable to speak for themselves then any one who has medical power of attorney or a living will designating them as the person to choose can speak for the patient.
Pain is not the issue.
A doctor will listen to the person and possibly put them in hospice. The question is "Is the person sane?". If so, their wishes will be adhered to.
There is no problem here. If you think there is get an MPOA and sign it.
2006-07-18 13:58:30 · answer #3 · answered by LORD Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the request is to stop all medical interventions then I would agree with the person who is making the request. They may have asked for all measures to be taken to save them when the pain was not bad. When the pain is more than they could have imagined I think it is time to let them go peacefully.
2006-07-18 11:39:50 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make a living will before you are in extreme pain and close to death. It will save you and your family alot of grief.
2006-07-18 11:42:28 · answer #5 · answered by notyou311 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is why a living will is so important. Anything on paper always trumps verbal arguments.
2006-07-18 11:39:19 · answer #6 · answered by kamkurtz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋