Death with dignity has historically been a widely debated ethical issue. I have done several projects on this concept over the course of my schooling and have always maintained the belief that everyone deserves to die when and how they want, especially if they have a particularly aggressive disease. Terminally ill people will find ways to die without the assistance of medical personnel, so I think allowing the option to die with dignity is important to maintain autonomy. I was excited to read about Maine adopting this practice, as previously only a handful of states in America had legalized it.
I don’t think the death with dignity laws clash with “do no harm”. In the case where the patient has six months or less to live, they are 18 or older, and have the mental capacity to make healthcare decisions, I think the healthcare team has an obligation to help them quietly and peacefully end their lives. I think in this case, nurses and doctors would be doing more harm by refusing to assist in a patient’s death than actually following through with it. The nurse’s oath also states that we must devote ourselves to the welfare of our patients, and that includes their happiness. If dying before their brains and bodies start shutting down is what will make them happy, then I think we owe them that.
