Late in November, the Pastoral Care Committee hosted a talk by Linda Cliff. As many of you know, Linda has many years of experience as a nurse with Victoria Hospice. Her topic was "Doctor Assisted Suicide," a timely, and difficult subject. Here are her notes from that conversation.
The discussion about Physician Assisted
Death and Euthanasia is big news these days.
Presently there is a private members bill being presented in parliament
and the province
of Quebec
EUTHANASIA
Deliberate actions taken by a physician
with the intent to terminate the life of a patient. The procedure is to administer a lethal drug
and the successful outcome is immediate death.
PHYSICIAN
ASSISTED DEATH
A doctor intentionally helping a person to
commit suicide by providing drugs for self administration, at the person’s
voluntary and competent request.
PALLIATIVE
SEDATION THERAPY
The use of a specific sedative medications
to relieve intolerable suffering from refractory symptoms by a reduction in
patient consciousness using appropriate drugs carefully titrated.
REFRATORY
SYMPTOM
A symptom which cannot be adequately
controlled despite aggressive therapy.
CONSEQUENTIAL
SEDATION
An unintended but sometimes expected side
effect of some drugs used in symptom control.
It may be temporary or transient but could be persistent.
Many fear that legislation in Canada Belgium
- 32% of assisted deaths are done without request.
- 47% of assisted deaths go unreported.
- in many cases it is nurses who administer the medications, not physicians.
Each of us will develop our own opinion of
which side of the argument we wish to support.
We must ensure that our opinions are based on information rather than
emotion.
Advance Care Planning is a way for you to
become involved in your own health. You
may find the following web sites helpful.
- www.seniorsbc.ca/legal/healthdecisions
- www.choiceillusion.org
- www.collectifmedecins.org/en
- www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/washington
Taken from a talk by Linda Cliff
November 25, 2014
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