Ethics: Theory and Practice

Jacques P. Thiroux Keith W. Krasemann

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Vocabulary Review
Allowing Someone to Die, Mercy Death, and Mercy Killing

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Definition of Terms
Euthanasia

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Euthanasia
Euthanasia originally meant good death, but more recently means mercy killing

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Definition of Terms
Allowing someone to die

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Allowing Someone to Die

Allowing someone to die involves both not starting curative treatment when no cure is possible and stopping treatment when it is no longer able to cure a dying patient
It means allowing a dying patient to die a natural death without any interference from medical science

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Definition of Terms
Mercy death

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Mercy Death
Mercy death is the taking of a direct action in order to terminate a patients life because the patient has voluntarily requested it essentially an assisted suicide

Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Definition of Terms
Mercy killing

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Mercy Killing
Mercy killing is the taking of a direct action to terminate a patients life without his or her permission

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Definition of Terms
Extraordinary means to keep people alive

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Extraordinary Means
Extraordinary means to keep people alive are those that involve a grave burden for oneself or another, and they vary according to circumstances involving persons, places, times, and cultures
Such measures as radical surgery, radiation therapy, respirators, and heart machines probably fall in this category

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Definition of Terms
Ordinary means to keep people alive

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Ordinary Means
Ordinary means also are difficult to define, but for terminally ill patients they would include controlling pain and other symptoms as opposed to performing radical surgery or using respirators or heart machines
Appropriate or inappropriate care are sometimes more suitable terms

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Definition of Terms
Patient Self-Determination Act

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Patient Self-Determination Act

The act was passed with a view to giving patients a number of rights:
The right to considerate and respectful care The right to make decisions involving their health care, including accepting/refusing treatment, formulating advance directives, appointing a surrogate The right to acquire the information they require in order to make treatment decisions
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Definition of Terms
The Hospice Approach to Care for the Dying

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The Hospice Approach to Care for the Dying

The hospice approach can solve most of the problems surrounding allowing someone to die, and often it can eliminate the necessity for mercy death and mercy killing
Emphasis on comforting and caring for patients rather than curing or healing them Team approach to provide support for patients and families Pain and symptom control
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