Euthanasia Ethical Issues in Ontario Canada

Running Head: Euthanasia Ethical Issues in Ontario Canada. 1
Discussion paper
NURSING ETHICAL ISSUES IN EUTHANASIA
Name
Institution

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Introduction
Euthanasia is a medical practice where medics are legally allowed by the policies of a given
nation to assist patients who are in severe pain to die. Euthanasia is practiced with the consent of
the patient who has no signs of recovery since he or she may be suffering from an incurable
diseases and experiencing a lot of pain at the same time. Since it is the role of the nurses and
doctors to work around the clock in relieving patients from pain, euthanasia is then practiced as a
way of relieving patients with deadly infections from severe pain. Drugs can be administered and
the patient is allowed to take at their own time of choice.
Thesis: This paper focuses on the ethical issues of nurses in assisting patient to die due to
incurable diseases and severe pain. The policies of Ontario Canada are particularly paid attention
to in the administration of euthanasia.
Background
Euthanasia has remained prohibited in the entire Canada until February 2015 when two major
sections of the constitution were removed on the basis of obedience to the last wishes of an
individual. Section 14 stated that no individual should request to be inflicted with death and
section 241(b) states that any person that assists another to commit suicide commits a crime
(Cuman, & Gastmans, 2017). These two sections of the Canadian constitution were designed to
protect people who are vulnerable from being lured to commit suicide when they are at their
moments of weakness. The decision made has then brought a revolution in the Canadian medical
sector since the nurses and other physicians now have got a legal right to execute euthanasia
upon declaration that a patient cannot recover, and she or he is in severe pain and at the same

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time has requested to have their life terminated. The nurses who have always remained torn apart
between following a patients wish and adherence to the constitution have now got an opportunity
to assist patients who are seeking to end their suffering (Ricou & Wainwright, 2018). The
process is not only dying but dying peacefully and decently in a bid to uphold dignity until the
last minute of an individual’s life.
Ethical issues in euthanasia
Autonomous decision
Autonomy is the process of making personal informed decisions that directly contribute ones
welfare either economically, socially, physically or psychologically. In the health setting and
particularly euthanasia, patients are allowed to make decisions concerning their current situations
(Shekhawat, Kanchan, Setia, Atreya & Krishan, 2018). Some of them do not generally speak it
out directly but mostly they make wishes such as “I wish I will die now”, “God take my life or
take me home” etc. these wishes are normal when an individual is in severe pain even in
instances where diseases involved are not terminal illnesses. The nurses and medics should then
be very careful not to assist patients who are suffering from curable diseases to die. The law in
Ontario is very clear under the circumstances where euthanasia can be executed. This means if a
patient is not terminally ill, not in severe pain and has not made any wish to die then the need to
die should not be inculcated unto them. The nurses in Ontario Canada are prohibited from
soothing a patient to committing suicide. Though the sections of the constitution that disregarded
euthanasia have been seceded, the decision of a patient is upheld and the nurses are bound to
respecting it. The family members in some instances due to the burden of healthcare may decide
to seek for interventions to terminate a patient’s life with his or her consent. The medics in such

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cases should not adhere to their suggestions since the reasons may not be clearly known and the
patients are protected from such risks (Caputo, 2015). Family members may be on the contrary
regarding the patient’s decision but the law upholds it and in cases where relatives may sue a
medic the law clearly defends them on the basis of autonomy.
Beneficence
This means doing good to the patients in accordance to the moral obligation. The definition of
beneficence is practicing acts of charity, mercy and kindness regardless of the person the
healthcare practitioner is attending to. The healthcare providers in the practice of euthanasia has
got a moral obligation of doing right rather than following tides (Hosseinzadeh, & Rafiei,
2019)which makes the practice wrong and unacceptable. The nurses are bound and obliged to
always and without favorism or exception to do anything to favor the well being of the patient. In
an agonizing situation where the patient is in deep pain and expressing the wish to die as a way
to be relieved from the oppression of the illness, the health care professionals are expected to do
anything possible to favor the patient. Euthanasia is then administered in such instances to ensure
the patient wellbeing is looked into (De Bal, De Casterlé & Gastmans, 2017). the health care
practitioners who are passionate about their job are expected to show very high standards of
professionalism to advocate for the good of the patients rather than merely considering
themselves and their general likes and feelings. The principle of beneficence is at all times
supposed to work in a manner that it embraces humanism. Since all individuals are entitled
immutable rights to life and liberty euthanasia is practised so as to respect these rights which are
very fundamental for the wellbeing of an individual. In consideration to the state a patient may
be in, the most appropriate action is undertaken with the aim of ensuring that suffering is