Poster Presentations - Guzman Lecture Hall
Physician Assisted Suicide
Location
Guzman Lecture Hall Poster #7
Start Date
4-23-2015 6:30 PM
End Date
4-23-2015 7:30 PM
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor(s)
Martha Nelson, Ph.D.
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) is the “process in which a doctor of an either sick or disabled individual engages in an activity which directly or indirectly leads to the death of the individual” (Levy, Azar, Huberfeld, Siegel & Strous, 2013). PAS is legal in three states of the United States: Washington, Oregon and Montana (Lachman, 2010). The Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) was passed in 1994 in Oregon, which encompassed the firm guidelines that must be followed by physicians and patients in regards to PAS. Through this act, patients asking for physician-assisted suicide must be 18 years of age with residency in Oregon and is considered mentally competent. Additionally, this patient’s illness must be terminal with a prognosis of 6 months or less. Furthermore, both two oral and written wishes must be documented with the oral requests separated by at least 15 days apart and the patients must sign the written request with two witnesses involved (Rose, 2007). Guidelines revolving around the two witnesses include being a separate entity from the hospital, meaning they must not be affiliated, working with the hospital the patient is admitted to, nor can it be the actual physician asked. After this process, a second physician must be consulted to ascertain the diagnosis and the patient’s mental competency. Afterwards, the patient must submit another oral request for PAS or change his or her mind. Included in this law is the physician’s ability to decline participation to protect their liability and its lack of effect on the health and life insurances of the patient (Rose, 2007). This topic ensued numerous controversial debates on its ethical and moral rights.
As part of my research, I would like to know how future health professionals feel about Physician Assisted Suicide to see if this could potentially gain support in legalizing this in California. I would survey Dominican University students majoring in Nursing, Health Science, Biology, Psychology and Public Health in both their knowledge and attitude towards the topic. This will be done through an electronic survey through Survey Monkey.
Work Cited:
Lachman, V. (2010). Physician-assisted suicide: Compassionate liberation or murder? Medsurg Nursing, 19(2), 121-125.
Levy, T., Azar, S., Hberfeld, R., Siegel, A., Strous, R. (2013). Attitudes towards euthanasia and assisted suicide: A comparison between psychiatrists and other physician. Bioethics, 27(7), 402-408.
Rose, T. (2007). Physician-assisted suicide: Development, status, and nursing perspectives. Journal of Nursing Law, 11(3), 141-151.
Physician Assisted Suicide
Guzman Lecture Hall Poster #7
Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) is the “process in which a doctor of an either sick or disabled individual engages in an activity which directly or indirectly leads to the death of the individual” (Levy, Azar, Huberfeld, Siegel & Strous, 2013). PAS is legal in three states of the United States: Washington, Oregon and Montana (Lachman, 2010). The Death with Dignity Act (DWDA) was passed in 1994 in Oregon, which encompassed the firm guidelines that must be followed by physicians and patients in regards to PAS. Through this act, patients asking for physician-assisted suicide must be 18 years of age with residency in Oregon and is considered mentally competent. Additionally, this patient’s illness must be terminal with a prognosis of 6 months or less. Furthermore, both two oral and written wishes must be documented with the oral requests separated by at least 15 days apart and the patients must sign the written request with two witnesses involved (Rose, 2007). Guidelines revolving around the two witnesses include being a separate entity from the hospital, meaning they must not be affiliated, working with the hospital the patient is admitted to, nor can it be the actual physician asked. After this process, a second physician must be consulted to ascertain the diagnosis and the patient’s mental competency. Afterwards, the patient must submit another oral request for PAS or change his or her mind. Included in this law is the physician’s ability to decline participation to protect their liability and its lack of effect on the health and life insurances of the patient (Rose, 2007). This topic ensued numerous controversial debates on its ethical and moral rights.
As part of my research, I would like to know how future health professionals feel about Physician Assisted Suicide to see if this could potentially gain support in legalizing this in California. I would survey Dominican University students majoring in Nursing, Health Science, Biology, Psychology and Public Health in both their knowledge and attitude towards the topic. This will be done through an electronic survey through Survey Monkey.
Work Cited:
Lachman, V. (2010). Physician-assisted suicide: Compassionate liberation or murder? Medsurg Nursing, 19(2), 121-125.
Levy, T., Azar, S., Hberfeld, R., Siegel, A., Strous, R. (2013). Attitudes towards euthanasia and assisted suicide: A comparison between psychiatrists and other physician. Bioethics, 27(7), 402-408.
Rose, T. (2007). Physician-assisted suicide: Development, status, and nursing perspectives. Journal of Nursing Law, 11(3), 141-151.