Ethical and Legal issues of Suicide
The decision to undertake suicide or end-of-life decision is not an easy one. Suicide especially when it involves physicians has both ethical and legal issues attached to it. Suicide is an option that physicians consider when a patient has certain conditions. However, medical practitioners cannot undertake suicide without the approval from the people responsible for the patient or the patient themselves. There are three forms of suicide that can be identified based on the roles played by a medical practitioner. They include facilitated suicide, unassisted suicide and assisted suicide (Bilirakis, 1998).
There are certain professional ethical issues that guide the conduct of clinicians that provides nominal protection to suicidal clients. These ethical codes are tied to several principles. The first ethical principle is autonomy. Medical practitioners are required to respect the self-determination of a patient. Autonomy also brings forth other principles that include respect for individuals, confidentiality, revealing truth and facts and ensuring fidelity. When dealing with suicide, clinicians must understand that suicide is the result of psychological debilitation. Therefore, clinicians must extend the autonomy to those that are afflicted. Clients should also be informed of the truth and means of intervention. Clinicians must reveal this or refer clients elsewhere. Clinicians must keep issues of suicide confidential and only reveal it when the client poses a danger to himself or other people. Clinicians must also be faithful to clients and take suicide seriously. There should update their views and skills on suicide. The second ethical principle is beneficence. Beneficence means that medical practitioners or clinicians have the responsibility of doing the greatest good possible. Therefore, when it comes to issues of suicide, clinicians are expected to observe beneficence and do an analysis of whether the suicide is of the greatest good. The third ethical norm is non-maleficence. This means that clinicians must always minimize harm or prevent harm. Therefore, while considering the issue of suicide, clinicians must respect the principle of non-maleficence. The last principle is the principle of justice. This means fairness to all and provision of equal access to care for all (Corey, Marianne, & Callanan, 2010).
In the United States of America, states have different legal provisions that guide the issue of suicide. Until 1979, a number of states had certain statuses that forbade suicide. In the U.S today, a person may be held responsible for helping another person to commit suicide. This is admissible whether the suicide was successful or not. Euthanasia is an illegal activity and is punishable as an act of murder in the U.S. In most states, assisted suicide is a felony that is likened to manslaughter. Statutes or the court through the interpretation of common law interprets this. The federal government made it illegal to use of federal government in assisted suicide. However, in Oregon, Montana and Washington, assisted suicide is legal and medical practitioners are mandated to write lethal prescriptions for patients who request it and are identified with a terminal disease that is likely to cause death within six months. However, the physician must follow regulations, such as seeking second opinion to verify diagnosis, referral to a mental professional and a fifteen-day waiting period between the request and prescription delivery. The medical practitioner must also report this to the Oregon Department of Health (Gorsuch, 2009).
With this information, an effective nurse should possess leadership strategies that strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and multi-agency partnerships that address key ethical and legal issues regarding suicide. These leadership strategies entail the ability to maintain effective communication between the nurse and the patient. This will guarantee that the nurse observes issues of autonomy and confidentiality when dealing with patients. Secondly, a nurse should ensure that he or she remains updated and informed with current information on suicide matters both ethically and legally to understand what is allowed ad what is not. This will enable the nurse collaborate and carry out multi-agency partnerships with other medical practitioners and patients to ensure that patients receive the best care. Another leadership strategy is the ability to develop trustworthy relationships with patients. This comes in the way of assuring patients of their confidentiality and a readiness to help them with relevant information and care (McAllister & John Lowe, 2011).
A nurse leader should have a desire for professional role development by integrating the values needed in nursing and the ethical principles provided. For instance, a nurse should use new information from research studies in the health care set up while observing ethical principles that ensure patient safety and care. Education helps keep a nurse leader updated on current issues and ways of doing things that enable him or her be an effective nurse who puts the health of the patient in consideration through observing the ethical standards of nursing. This means that a nurse leader should yearn for professional role development by ensuring that he or she goes beyond the roles of a normal nurse, acquire, and provide information that is relevant to the application of nursing in health care systems (Joint Commission Resources, Inc Staff, 2005).
In conclusion, ethical issues regarding suicide include autonomy, beneficence and non-maleficence among others. In the U.S, the legal issues of suicide, specifically physician-assisted suicide differ between states. Some states have legalized it while others consider it illegal. A nurse leader has the responsibility of applying leadership strategies that strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and multi-agency partnerships in dealing with ethical and legal issues of suicide. A nurse leader goes beyond normal nursing duties to incorporate professional role development, values, and ethical principles that ensure patient safety and care in health care systems.
References
Bilirakis, M. (1998). Assisted Suicide – Legal, Medical, Ethical and Social Issues: Hearing Before the Committee on Commerce, U. S. House of Representatives. New York: DIANE Publishing.
Corey, G., Marianne, C., & Callanan, P. (2010). Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions. New York: Cengage Learning.
Gorsuch, N. M. (2009). The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Joint Commission Resources, Inc Staff. ( 2005). Issues And Strategies for Nurse Leaders: Meeting Hospital Challenges Today. New York: Joint Commission Resources.
McAllister, M., & John Lowe. (2011). The Resilient Nurse: Empowering Your Practice. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|
Are you looking for a similar paper or any other quality academic essay? Then look no further. Our research paper writing service is what you require. Our team of experienced writers is on standby to deliver to you an original paper as per your specified instructions with zero plagiarism guaranteed. This is the perfect way you can prepare your own unique academic paper and score the grades you deserve.
Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.
[order_calculator]