HSS 261 Unit 3 Individual Project

Individual Project

Healthcare providers encounter ethical dilemma when they face situations that are difficult to make decisions based on the legal and ethical aspects involved and the need to provide care to patients. Imperatively, they must address these issues and challenges by leveraging their training and knowledge of ethical principles as well as decision making. Physician-assisted death remains a critical and debatable ethical issue in health care and requires providers to consider a host of factors in making decisions (Derse et al., 2019). The purpose of this paper is to describe physician-assisted suicide, how and why it poses an ethical dilemma and the ethical principle applicable to the situation. The paper also describes ethical decision-making steps to make an ethical choice and personal values challenged emanating from physician-assisted suicide.

Physician-Assisted Suicide

End-of-life situations and events can be devastating and dilapidating for many people, especially those suffering from chronic diseases like late stage or metastatic cancer. Suffering near the end-of-life leads to anxiety and distressful emotions like fears about the future and being a burden to the loved ones. These individuals also worry about pain management, loss of control about their lives and quality of life. As such, they resonate to physician-assisted suicide which denote to a medical practice where a physician gives a patient a prescription for lethal dose of medication with the intent for the patient to end their life (Grote & Berens, 2020). The implication is that the physician offers a means of death but the patient makes a conscious decision and administers or uses the drug to cause their death.

Physician-assisted suicide poses an ethical dilemma for the healthcare providers and healthcare organizations because of the concept of duty of care and the obligation to heal, and not to facilitate death. The medical protection’s main integrity is based on the Hippocratic Oath which implores healthcare providers, especially physicians, to protect lives and not cause death. Secondly, the bioethical principles implore physicians and other providers to benefit the patient and not to do harm. Again, the American Medical Association (AMA) is opposed to assisted death because it is can be abused by rogue physicians (McKinnon & Orellana-Barrios, 2019). Further, physicians make mistakes through diagnostic and prognosis errors as well as failure to diagnose depression and insufficient treatment of pain. The implication is that these aspects undermine the ability of physicians to make a better decision on the issue of assisted death. Fourthly, the sanctity of life makes assisted suicide morally wrong since it is contrary to not only religious but also secular traditions that forbid taking away of human life irrespective of one’s medical condition.

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Ethical Principles Applicable to Physician-Assisted Suicide

Physician-assisted-suicide as a dilemma implores healthcare providers and healthcare organizations to consider a host of ethical principles before making the determination to engage in such practices and allow a patient have the lethal drug prescription to facilitate their death. The first ethical principle is beneficence where all actions of a healthcare provider and entity should be to be of benefit for the patient or acting and making decisions in patient’s best interests. Based on this, a physician can conclude that death will end patient’s suffering. However, such contradicts the value of life principle as it advances that life is precious and sacred gift. Further, non-maleficence means doing not harm to a patient because of the sanctity of life (Grote & Berens, 2020). Thirdly, physician-assisted suicide implores healthcare providers to consider respect and dignity of life and human being in their decisions. This means that they must uphold the values of care, compassion, respect and dignity. Respect for autonomy requires competent patients to make decisions about the kind of treatment that they want for their body.

However, while respecting autonomy, physicians and healthcare organizations must consider their integrity and that of their profession that is supposed to heal and be dedicated to caring for patients, even in their worst conditions (McKinnon & Orellana-Barrios, 2019). Considering physician-assisted-suicide in such cases from a legal perspective erodes public trust in the physicians and other providers. These are ethical principles that influence the dilemma that providers and organizations in healthcare encounter when dealing with physician-assisted suicide.

Steps in Ethical Decision-Making

Ethical decision making entails the process and steps in which one aims at making a decision that aligns with their code of ethics and conduct. Making an ethical decision in any dilemma requires healthcare providers and individuals to follow certain steps and procedures. The initial step is to define the problem which implies determination of why a decision is required. The second step is to seek relevant resources, guidance, and support (Grote & Berens, 2020). This means that once a problem is known, one should seek resources and necessary support to address it. The third step is identification of possible alternatives or solutions to the issue. In this stage, it is essential to have different alternatives and not to merely focus on what has worked previously. It is critical to be open to new and better options.

The fourth step is to assess the identified alternatives based on their possible positive and negative effects. For instance, it is not possible to get an alternative that can offer solution to the issue significantly better than all others. The fifth step is to make the decision by selecting the best alternative or option from the option. Sixth is to implement the decision based on the most appropriate alternative selected. The seventh step is evaluation of the decision and if it solves the issue at hand.

Healthcare professionals work based on the code of conduct and required ethical values and legal frameworks. Making decisions requires the professional to consult different stakeholders and entities. However, the most critical of all these is the patient in the case of physician-assisted-suicide because of the principles of autonomy and beneficence as well respect and dignity of the person. If the patient is minor, the healthcare professional should consult the parents or guardian (Grote & Berens, 2020). However, in incapacitated patients, the professional needs to follow end-of-life directives in making such decisions. The next of kin, if nominated through the directives, could also be consulted when making the decision.

Personal Values Challenged

Personal values like integrity, respect and dignity as well as kindness and love are challenged when I face or encounter ethical dilemmas like the issue of physician-assisted suicide. The issue is a dilemma not just for physicians but also nurses as healthcare providers. Life is sacred and its sanctity should be protected, irrespective of one’s suffering and pain (Snyder et al., 2018). The medical practice has advanced therapeutic interventions that can help patients manage chronic pain in any situation and opting for physician-assisted suicide negates the use of the available interventions in healthcare like palliative care.

The personal bias or conflict of interest in addressing this dilemma emanates from my personal values about the sanctity of life. Physician-assisted suicide is an ethical issue that requires a consideration of many factors because it is against the medical duty of care and offering benefits to patients as opposed to assisting them die (McKinnon & Orellana-Barrios, 2019). The implication is that the dilemma presents a conflict of interest as provider may be interested in offering the assistance to make profits as opposed to helping patients get better and manage the pain associated with such conditions.

Conclusion

Ethical dilemmas present providers with unique situations that require them to make critical decisions in provision of care to patients. Such dilemmas like physician-assisted suicide implore providers to use ethical decision frameworks to determine the most appropriate or effective decision in such situations. As demonstrated, physicians and other healthcare providers as well as organizations have a duty to protect life and not taking it away through physician-assisted suicide or any other means since life is precious.

HSS 261 Unit 3 Individual Project References

Banović, B., Turanjanin, V., & Miloradović, A. (2018). An ethical review of euthanasia and

physician-assisted suicide. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 46(2), 173.

Derse, A. R., Moskop, J. C., McGrath, N. A., Vearrier, L. E., Clayborne, E. P., Goett, R. R., &

Limehouse Jr, W. E. (2019). Physician‐assisted Death: Ethical Implications for Emergency Physicians. Academic Emergency Medicine, 26(2), 250-255. https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.13618

Grote, T., & Berens, P. (2020). On the ethics of algorithmic decision-making in healthcare.

Journal of medical ethics, 46(3), 205-211. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2019-105586.

McKinnon, B, & Orellana-Barrios, M. (2019). Ethics in physician-assisted dying and

euthanasia. The Southwest Respiratory and Critical Care Chronicles, 7(30):36–42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12746/swrccc.v7i30.561

Snyder, S. L., Mueller, P. S., & Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee of

the American College of Physicians. (2018). Ethics and the legalization of physician-assisted suicide: An American College of Physicians position paper. Annals of internal medicine, 167(8), 576-578. https://doi.org/10.7326/M17-0938

Assignment Description

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Assignment Details

Ethical dilemmas are those where there is neither an easy answer nor a decision that is absolutely the right one. Healthcare professionals must deal with these challenges based on their training and knowledge of ethical principles and decision making. Choose an ethical dilemma from the list below and answer the questions that follow. Use your knowledge and understanding from what you have already learned from Unit 1 and 2 lessons and the textbook reading assignments.

Genetic testing and home test kits

Physician-assisted death

Artificial intelligence and clinical decision making

Organ transplantation and artificial organs

Note: If you would like to choose a dilemma other than one on the list, please consult with your instructor and obtain permission.

Describe the issue and why and how it poses an ethical dilemma for healthcare providers and healthcare organizations?

What ethical principle(s) would be applicable to the dilemma?

Describe the ethical decision-making steps used to come to an ethical decision? With whom would a healthcare professional consult in coming to a decision?

How are your personal values challenged? What would be a personal bias or conflict of interest in resolving this dilemma?

HSS 261 Unit 3 Individual Project Rubric

The Individual Project (IP) Grading Rubric is a scoring tool that represents the performance expectations for the IP. This Individual Project Grading Rubric is divided into components that provide a clear description of what should be included within each component of the IP. It’s the roadmap that can help you in the development of your IP.

ExpectationPoints PossiblePoints EarnedCommentsDescribed the ethical issue and why and how it poses an ethical dilemma for healthcare providers and organizations.30Identified the ethical principle(s) that were applicable to the ethical issue.25Described the process for identifying an ethical decision about the issue that included the steps taken in the ethical decision-making process and with whom a healthcare professional would consult in coming to the decision.30Explored how the ethical issue and process for decision-making challenged your personal values and described the personal bias or conflicts of interest you would have in resolving the dilemma.30Professional Language: Assignment contains accurate grammar, spelling, and punctuation with few or no errors.10Total Points125Total Points Earned