Modern Medicine and Death: The Dilemma - Article Example

Modern Medicine and Death: The Dilemma Today’s medical technology is so advanced that there comes a time when an individual has to make a decisionfor themselves or have a decision made for them by a trusted by a family member. A time comes, where medicine is effective topically but does not provide adequate standard of life. At this point, the dilemma is whether or not to peruse an individual’s continued existence with little quality of life, or to choose to be kind and discontinue medical intervention such as breathing apparatuses. When asking these types of questions and weighing medical intervention by deciding whether the treatment or procedure will be considerably more of a benefit than a draw back. In other words, medical ethics requires health care professionals to assess whether the benefits of a given treatment outweigh the risks. It may be logistically feasible to use a given medical procedure to treat the symptoms of an illness or injury, but on the other hand possibly a procedure that would only cause a decreased quality of life for the patient. One example of a situation which creates quite a medical and ethical predicament was recently discussed in an edition of the Washington Post. A male patient of 62 had suffered from a heart attack. As a last resort, he agreed to having a heart pump implanted into his body. Since this time, he has suffered a great deal of fatigue and pain. The patient has grown weary of living a life substandard to his former one, before the implant and now wishes to have his heart pump surgically removed, "He now sleeps a great deal, eats poorly, walks little and needs help to go to the bathroom. He also complains of significant pain,"(Stein, 2008). This is an enormously controversial ethical matter with little clarity on what the most ethical choice in fact, is. Certainly the man is entitled to desire and aspire for a pain free and enjoyable existence, but with his medical condition, this is not even a remote possibility. Turing the pump off would be somewhat unethical and in breach of the physician’s Hippocratic Oath. Clearly, the most important factor in this matter is the patient’s well being. The patient himself feels that he has thoroughly come to terms with the fact that he is not living a life that any human being should be subjected to. On the other hand, doctors are not legally permitted to take any part in assisted suicides. If the patient’s heart pump is turned off by a physician, the patient will have mere hours to live. This type of dilemma is so subjective as each side has a valid reason for their stance on the matter. My personal opinion however, is that even through interpretation, if a physician is being asked to assist a terminally ill patient with a significantly low quality of life, than that physician should be permitted to aid that patient in their own suicide through passive and kind means. It can also be argued that the physician would only be turning the pump off, ultimately it would be the patient’s faulty heart which would fail sometime thereafter. This could possibly be a loop hole which would allow the terminally ill to have some control over their lives, particularly when it comes to their constant suffering. In the event that the patient either dies or has permitted a family member to make a kind decision allowing for life support machines to be turned off, a period of bereavement will surely begin for those left behind by the patient, “Loss is a common experience that can be encountered many times during a lifetime; it does not discriminate for age, race, sex, education, economic status, religion, culture or nationality.”(Health and Medicine, 2008). Certainly, many families might feel that medical technology specific to life support devices, is a bit of assurance that a loved one will be alive for a longer period of time. What some do not realize however, is that since it is the patient who is suffering physically and should therefore be able to make a decision or request a DNR (do not resuscitate). It is difficult to relate sometimes, to exactly what another person is going through. The best decision to make is the one which serves the wished of the patient. As far as the patient’s family is concerned, it is better to endure a period of grief and bereavement rather than to put the loved one though further medical intervention to keep them alive a bit longer. Medical technology has evolved into such a science that one day, it may be possible to use stem cells to grow and harvest new organs and tissues for the ill. This is again, in the future, but it is potentially very possible. It may have already been successfully tested and approved had it not been such a large ethical controversy concerning the source of the stem cells (usually from a fertilized human egg, a zygote). Making the right decision or knowing the time to be kind (or to make a kind decision in discontinuing medical treatment) will become more and more important as Science continues to thrust humanity rapidly into a condition of medical options which keep the body alive. As a nurse, the responsibility to implement the bereavement theory is paramount when working with a family who has just lost a loved one, “Critical and creative use of this theory can offer valuable guidance to nurses caring for the bereaved and can help promote confidence, thus enabling them to provide appropriate support”(Greenstreet, 2004). According to Martin and Doka, there are norms which tend to follow us through society. One example is that women are usually expected to cry but men are not “supposed” to cry. This of course is a case of gender norms dominating ideals of human behavior. The fact is, that humans are all capable of crying and we are all capable of hurting and grieving. Men should be heavily encouraged by their loved one’s nurse, to cry or at least to discuss their feelings of loss. Martin and Doka essentially have established a means of categorizing grief as experienced by different people. The first type of grief is known as instrumental grief and is characterized by someone who perhaps becomes angry at the loss of their loved one, but then they try to drown themselves in the business of living as to not think of or deal with their grief. The other type of grief is known as intuitive grief which is characterized by someone who tends to grieve in installments or is hit in a rhythmic pattern with feelings of grief and emotion. These individuals are normally much more comfortable talking about their pain than the instrumental griever. (Lambardo, 2008). The work of Martin and Doka was not necessarily to point out that men are one specific type of griever while women are something entirely different. Although, it should be noted that there are more male instrumental grievers whereas there are more female intuitive grievers. This is most likely the sociological affect placed on human behavior and gender assignments that come with it. My opinion on bereavement in general is that nurses should certainly first and foremost, express to the patient’s family that talking about the loss to either myself or at least to a trusted friend, and perhaps even finding a support group would be excellent places to start. Implementing the grief model is centrifugal to fulfilling one’s job as a nurse. Exuding compassion without being too personal and keeping channels of communication open, are fundamental in transitioning the relatives of the patient through this time. In many cases, the nurses who are on call and attending to an individual who is hospitalized for an illness, will inquire as to the funeral home being used in order for them to make the call for the family, saving them the intrusion of a conversation. There are many ways that nurses can make all the difference in the world, and I personally believe that medicine has done wonderful things in the spirit of keeping people alive for longer periods of time, but like anything, there can be too much of a good thing. There is always a time to let someone go in peace. Works Cited: ------------------, (2008) “Loss, Grief and Bereavement”, Health and Medicine, retrieved from website 28 July, 2008 from: http://www.squidoo.com/grief-loss- bereavement Lombardo, Michael, (2000) “Different Styles of Grieving” retrieved 28 July, 2008 from website at: http://www.angelhands.org.au/library/general/different_styles_of_grieving. PDF Stein, Rob, (2004) “Heart pump Creates Life and Death Medical Dilemmas” The Washington Post April 4, 2004 pp. A01, retrieved from website 28, July 2008 from website at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/story/2008/04/24/ST2008042400767.html Read More