Death with Dignity

Does a person have the right to end his life with dignity? Is it necessary to prolong a person’s life when it is obvious that there is no chance to lead a “normal life”? Is it ethical to cut short the life of a hopelessly ill person to free him from unbearable torment and suffering? Life expectancy keeps increasing and the technology to keep us living keeps increasing. No one who spends their career in healthcare can isolate themselves from participating in these questions. This study material will discuss the basic arguments of the euthanasia controversy, the attitudes toward euthanasia in the world, medical legal cases that have influenced the euthanasia debate and more. “At some point in life, the only thing worse than dying is being kept alive.”

Authors
Marilyn Sackett, MEd, RT(R), FASRT