Ethical issues of death and dying. Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography: Ethical issues of Death and Dying
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Annotated Bibliography: Ethical issues of Death and Dying BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033
ten Cate, K., van Tol, D., & van de Vathorst, S. (2017). Considereations on Requests for Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide: A Qualitative Study with Dutch General Practitioners. Family Practice, 1-7. doi:10.1093/fampra/cmx041
In their article, ten Cate, van Tol, and van de Vathorst (2017) explore the ethical and personal considerations of physicians who have been presented with a euthanasia request by a dying patient. They conduct a qualitative study that involved interviewing various general practitioners. The study reveals that when dealing with dying patients, these practitioners must consider the legal ramifications as well as how the dying patient interprets these ramifications. Also, the study reveals that when it comes to death and dying, there are various interpretations of what involves “good dying”, especially between the physicians and the patients. These interpretations can raise ethical concerns. The researchers conclude that the personal views of physicians affect how patients perceive death and dying because in some cases, issues such as resolving conflicts with loved ones or finding peace with the situation of imminent death usually put too much pressure on the patients. Yet, these are the factors that many physicians consider when deciding on honoring a euthanasia request, especially in cases where the law is unclear. This research connects to nursing practice in the sense that nurses provide care to dying patients and help them to die with dignity. If a patient’s request to receive assisted death is denied based on a physician’s s personal view, nurses have a role to play in advocating for the patient's best interests.
The article is a research study because it provides the results obtained from a research population, who in this case were the general physicians. It also asks a research question which is “what considerations play a role in practice when Dutch GPs have to decide on an EAS request?’ The method involved in the study is also identified. The researchers use two sets of qualitative interviews and analyze the data collected from the study to provide the results and conclusions. The researcher’s position on the issues is clear because they indicate that some non-legal considerations influence a physician's decision to authorize a patient’s request for euthanasia. This position is clearly presented through the research question. Also, the researchers indicate that no research has been done on the non-legal issues that influence a physician’s decision to deny or grant the euthanasia request. The researchers also provide evidence to support their position. The physicians who were interviewed revealed that resolving conflicts with family members, finding peace and acceptance, or showing complete resignation were some of the non-legal factors that physicians had to see in patients before they could grant a euthanasia request.
Cavalieri, T. (2001). Ethical Issues at the End of Life. JAOA, 101(10), 616-622
In his article, Cavalieri (2001) assesses some of the ethical issues in end-of-life care. The author indicates that the provision of good end-of-life care depends on the physician’s knowledge of the ethical issues involved, as well as how to employ interventions that avoid conflicts. The author reveals that the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and fidelity inform how physicians address issues and challenges they encounter while providing end-of-life care. Further, the author posits that physicians, caregivers, and patients need to discuss end-of-life issues to ensure that the patient’s wishes are respected even when they are incapacitated. According to the author, the major ethical issues involved in end of life care include medical futility, which occurs when the goals of medical intervention are not achieved, such as resuscitating a brain dead patient. Another ethical issue is withholding and withdrawing interventions. This involves the withdrawal or withholding of intervention either because it is futile or the patients do not want the intervention. Also, the author reveals that pain management and the principle of double effect also raises ethical concerns because physicians fear using too much narcotic in the pain management of terminally ill patients. After all, it can cause death. Finally, the author also discusses physician-assisted suicide as a major ethical issue due to the moral concerns of ending a person’s life. This study connects to nursing practice in that it touches on the nursing practice principles such as beneficence and autonomy. How can nurses promote good when faced with an ethical dilemma? What about patient autonomy?
Cavalieri’s (2001) work is an opinion paper. The author does not identify a research method or a research population. Also, the article lacks a well-defined literature review section. However, the author uses evidence to support his position and strongly maintains his position throughout the...