Ethical and Unethical Actions or Decision Paramount to Terri Schviavo Case

Advanced Directives
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Advanced Directives
Introduction
The issue of euthanasia raises ethical issues. When the issue of end-of-life emergencies, individuals have different opinions concerning what should be done. The case of Terri Schviavo is a demonstration of ethical controversies that emerge when individuals do not have advance directives on what should be done if they cannot decide on their medical issues. The analysis of Terri Schviavo case unearths ethical challenges that emerge in
Meaning of advance directives
An advance directive refers to a legal document that describes how individuals wish their medical decisions to be decided if they cannot make the decisions themselves. With an advance directive, the medical team and the family know the type of healthcare an individual wants or who can make a decision (Schweikart, 2019). It is critical in assisting one to think ahead of time regarding the kind of care one would wish. With such a directive, it is easier for the healthcare team and the loved ones to know what type of care would align with someone’s wishes. It is important to note that advance directives are only applicable to healthcare decisions(Schweikart, 2019). They do not affect financial issues. The laws of advance directives also vary from one state to another. That is why individuals must engage their healthcare providers and lawyers to determine what is applicable in the specific state. The 1990 Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) urges individuals to make health decisions ahead of time when they are still healthy. The Act encourages healthcare facilities and professionals to inform patients about the right to make decisions regarding their care and the applicable state laws. Healthcare centers and professionals are also required to honor the wishes of their patients. They should not discriminate patients because they have advance directives or not.’
Types of advance directives
There are various types of advance directives that individuals can choose to have. The first one is the living will which states the medical treatments one would want and not want to be used to maintain them alive. The living will is applicable for terminally ill patients who cannot be cured or are permanently unconscious (Baker & Marco, 2020). It can also include the conditions under which life can be terminated or prolonged. For instance, one may instruct medical personnel to remove feeding tubes to allow the termination of life. The medical team must ensure that the patients cannot make medical decisions or that the patients are in the medical conditions they stated in the living will. Having a living will is not a permanent thing, as people can end it anytime they wish.
The second one is a power of attorney. Here, individuals identify a person to be a proxy (agent or surrogate) to make healthcare decisions if they cannot do it (Baker & Marco, 2020). Before the agent can decide anything, the physician must ascertain that the person cannot make their own decisions. The proxy will work with the medical team to implement the contents of the advance directive. The agent ensures that the healthcare team follows the wishes of the patient, as stated earlier. If wishes in particular areas are not clear, the proxy will decide based on what they think the client would want. Should the patient regain the ability to decide, the proxy no longer has the authority to continue making a medical decision for the client. It is critical to ensure that the proxy is someone trusted enough to make decisions according to the outlined wishes.
Terri Schviavo case
History
The Terri Schviavo case entailed a legal euthanasia case in the US. It involved Terri in an irreversible persistent vegetative state (PVS). At the age of 26 years, Terri went into cardiac arrest. While doctors successfully resuscitated her, she had massive brain damage, which left her unconscious. Her diagnosis was eventually changed to a PVS (Perry, Churchill & Kirshner, 2005). Doctors spend the next two years trying to return her to a state of consciousness. In 1998, Terri’s husband, Michael Schviavo, petitioned to remove her feeding tube according to Florida law. Michael indicated that Terri would not want her life to be prolonged using artificial life support, yet there was no hope of recovery. However, Terri’s parents challenged Michael’s sections and argued in favor of continued artificial nutrition. The case became highly publicized with a series of prolonged legal battles. It also involved various state and federal politicians. The seve...