The case study talks about George, who has been diagnosed with ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis has no cure; thus, patients die after three to five years after the infection (Ashrafi-Asgarabad, Ayubi, & Safiri, 2017). Patients of ALS gradually lose the capability to breathe, eat, move, or speak. However, they retain the senses of hearing, touch, taste, smell, and sight. Therefore, treatment methods tones down the progression of the complication but do not end it. George is thinking about requesting voluntary euthanasia to stop the mental and physical suffering due to his condition. This essay will link the ethical issues surrounding the patient’s situation to the four principles of principlism. It will also discuss Christianity and Buddhism worldviews. This paper will analyse the ethical issues on death and dying following the two religious views. Finally, this write-up will outline my recommendation on the way forward for George, his family, and the caregivers.
Autonomy
The principle requires individuals to respect the decision of other people. In the healthcare scenario, the patient has the right to make medical decisions. The caregivers and the family of the patient should respect the decision. The care providers should provide relevant information to the patient for consent (Moulton, & King, 2010). In the case study, George shows interest in undergoing voluntary euthanasia. The patient decides due to the fear of suffering and dependency on others. The physicians should respect George’s decision and help him acquire the voluntary euthanasia.
The ethical principle requires the caregivers to desist from causing an intentional injury or harm to the client (Hoskins, Grady, & Ulrich, 2018). The care provider can harm the patient through omission or commission of specific activities. George thinks that voluntary euthanasia reduces the suffering from progressive symptoms such as losing the ability to breathe. Therefore, the failure of the physicians to conduct euthanasia causes harm to him. The caregivers should assist the patient to die in respect to the principle of nonmaleficence. The voluntary euthanasia would severely affect the family members but benefit the patient; thus, the interests of George should override those of his kin.
The ethical principle requires individuals to take actions that benefit and bring joy to the recipients (Hoskins, Grady, & Ulrich, 2018). Similarly, caregivers should ensure that their medical attention helps the clients. Like nonmaleficence, beneficence requires the health specialists to remove or prevent injury to the client. In the case scenario, conducting the voluntary euthanasia would benefit the patient as it limits the suffering due to ALS. Therefore, the caregivers should assist George to die as they prevent harm and help the client. Harming the patient by refusing to help him to die is unethical as it only exerts suffering to George.
The principle of justice implies fairness of an individual towards the other. The caregivers should also be fair to their clients at all time (Hoskins, Grady, & Ulrich, 2018). In the healthcare sector, care providers should provide quality medical attention to all patients. Additionally, human limitations such as lack of enough capital should not prevent individuals from accessing quality care. In various USA hospitals, some patients yearn that the caregivers save their lives from different ailments. However, other patients require the care providers to assist them to die to eliminate their suffering. Therefore, in the case scenario, performing the voluntary euthanasia is justice to George.
Christianity has doctrines that enable Christians to view the world in seven different scenarios. The first scenario is that a supreme being called God exists (Goplen, & Plant, 2015). Additionally, God created the Universe and everything that is in it. God is righteous, holy, unchangeable, powerful, and wise. The second view is about the universe. Christians believe that the Supreme Being created the world and all its components. His did his creation orderly and with a clear purpose. Additionally, human choices have either favorable or unfavorable consequences. The third element is on the question of humanity. God created humans in his image and likeness. Therefore, humans should hold dignity; since their creator is a holy being. Thus, Christians should avoid abuse, abortion, murder, and other sins.
The fourth issue in the Christianity worldview discusses the question of death. Every human must die and either begin external life or perish in everlasting power. Those who have faith in Jesus Christ will live beyond death. The fifth concept talks about human knowledge about God, his son Jesus, and other things in the world (Shenk, & Plantinga, 2016). The grace of God enables humans to understand their surrounding and their creator. God uses Jesus Christ and his word to reveal himself to his creatures. The sixth view discusses ethics according to God. Christians believe that morality emanates from God’s character (Meilaender, 2013). The seventh Christian worldview indicates that history is not circular but is linear. Therefore, everything including life must begin, continue, and ultimately end at some point.
Buddhists have an eightfold path divided into three components. The first component called Panna talks about wisdom and discernment. The first point of sense requires humans to understand and accept truths about life (Ford, 2016). One of the realities is that suffering exists and causes pain, sickness, loss, and many other things. The second component called Sila talks about morality and virtues. Buddhists consider harsh language, gossip, and criticism as immoral deeds. Buddhism requires members to refrain from killing, stealing, lying, misusing sex, and consuming alcohol. The third view called Samadhi needs individuals to encourage good thoughts and shun evil ones.
The third Christianity Worldview on humanity notes that Christians should not murder the other person or permit the procurement of abortion. Therefore, a caregiver who allows George’s quest for voluntary euthanasia is committing murder and going against the doctrines of Christianity. The sixth Christian worldview indicates that ethics emanate from God’s character. Therefore, assisting the patient to die is unethical as it against the nature of the Supreme Being. God created the Universe and everything in it. Human beings have no right to taking the life of another person. It is God who gives and take away life.
Buddhists believe that it is unethical to kill or harm someone. Therefore, assisting George to die is like killing him which is against the teachings of Buddha. Buddhism also acknowledges the fact that suffering exists and leads to pain, sickness, and loss. Therefore, the patient in the case study should allow the suffering and pain as the two are realities of life. Buddhism also has a view that the members should encourage good thoughts and shun bad ones. The patient’s idea of assisted death is, and a Buddhist should discourage such thoughts.
The two religions are against assisted death. However, the principles of principlism encourage it if the act benefits the patient. I would urge the caregivers to grant the wishes of George on Voluntary Euthanasia. The symptoms and the progression ALS cause severe pain and suffering to the patient. Furthermore, the result of the suffering is death. The failure of the caregivers and the family to grant the wish of the patient is against the principle of autonomy. Therefore, the caregivers should overlook the religious worldviews and follow the tenets of principlism.
Conclusion
The case scenario is about George, who is inquiring about voluntary euthanasia due to his ALS infection. Both Christians and Buddhists have Worldviews on numerous questions. Christianity has seven components of views on the status of the world. The first component acknowledges God as righteous, unchangeable, and a powerful being. The second view indicates that God created the universe and everything in it. The third view mentions that God created humans in his image and liking. The fourth component discusses external life after death and everlasting fire. The fifth and sixth worldviews are about human knowledge and ethics respectively. The seventh component states that human history is not circular but is linear. Buddhism believes that humans should not kill one another among other views. A proper analysis of the two religious opinions indicates that they are against voluntary euthanasia. However, I believe that assisted dying is in line with the principles of principlism.
References
Ashrafi-Asgarabad, A., Ayubi, E., & Safiri, S. (2017). Predictors of health-related quality of life in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: methodological issues. Journal of the neurological sciences, 372, 228.
Ford, J. L. (2016). Buddhism, Christianity, and The Matrix: the dialectic of myth-making in contemporary cinema. Journal of Religion & Film, 4(2), 1.
Goplen, J., & Plant, E. A. (2015). A religious worldview: Protecting one’s meaning system through religious prejudice. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(11), 1474-1487.
Hoskins, K., Grady, C., & Ulrich, C. M. (2018). Ethics Education in Nursing: Instruction for Future Generations of Nurses. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(1).
Meilaender, G. (2013). Bioethics: A Primer for Christians. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. Co. ISBN-13: 9780802867704
Moulton, B., & King, J. S. (2010). Aligning ethics with medical decision?making: the quest for informed patient choice. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 38(1), 85-97.
Shenk, W. R., & Plantinga, R. J. (Eds.). (2016). Christianity and Religious Plurality: Historical and Global Perspectives. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
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