Discussion responses should demonstrate critical thinking skills and be thoughtful and respectful
Post two responses to the original posts of any other classmates (100 words for each response)
Posting should ask for clarification, challenge (respectfully) ideas, or describe a situation that illustrates the points being made. Simply agreeing or disagreeing with a post is not adequate
Worth 15 points / 5%
Classmate 1
How do you feel about the use of life-sustaining measures in the face of terminal illness? Examples: Permanent coma? Irreversible chronic illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease? Debilitating Stroke?
Personally I feel like using life-sustaining measures in the face of a terminal illness is completely up to the patient and their families. I think offering these treatments is great because it does give the patients an opportunity to extended their life, but many patients who are terminally ill will not request the use of life-sustaining measures as it prolongs the dying process (Compassion, 2020). Advance directive forms in most states include two scenarios in which life-sustaining treatment is applied: Permanent unconsciousness and terminal illness. Patients can indicate on the advanced directive whether or not they want treatment solely based on their desires (Compassion, 2020).
2. How do you feel about particular medical procedures? Examples: mechanical breathing (respirator), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), artificial nutrition and hydration, hospital intensive care, pain relief medication, chemo or radiation therapy, and surgery.
When talking about different medical procedures that can prolong life such as mechanical breathing or artificial nutrition, it again is up to the patient or their proxy to decide on whether or not they want these procedures done. Something like mechanical breathing is used when a patient cannot breathe on their own and a machine will push a certain amount of oxygen in your lungs at a certain rate and pressure. The longer a patient is on mechanical breathing the less likely the patient is to breathe on their own (Compassion, 2020). Pain relief, artificial nutrition or chemo therapy, is all up to the patient and whether or not they want these procedures done. I think it is great that hospitals offer these procedures, but many patients and their families may look at these medical procedures and see it will hurt them a lot financially. For me personally I’m not sure I would take such medical procedures due to the fact that I have a terminal illness and I wouldn’t want my family to suffer down the line from medical expenses and prolong grieving.
References
What I Want: Decisions About Life-Sustaining Measures. (2020, July 02). Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://compassionandchoices.org/resource/my-end-of-life-decisions-an-advance-planning-guide-and-toolkit/want-decisions-life-sustaining-measures/
Classmate 2
How do you feel about the use of life-sustaining measures in the face of terminal illness? Examples: Permanent coma? Irreversible chronic illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease? Debilitating Stroke?
Personally, I feel that providing life support is a good thing and it really depends on the patient and their families. Often times patients feel scared to die and their families want to do everything possible to keep them alive. In this case, I feel providing life support is ideal. However, I have read about patients who are suffering and want to end the suffering. But their families wants to keep them on life support. In this case, I feel that the patient should have the right to make the decision. Hence, I feel that life sustaining measures is a subjective decision and the healthcare facility should give the decision to the family, and the patient if they want to opt for life support.
How do you feel about particular medical procedures? Examples: mechanical breathing (respirator), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), artificial nutrition and hydration, hospital intensive care, pain relief medication, chemo or radiation therapy, and surgery.
I feel comfortable about the any medical procedure as I believe that there is no harm in performing surgery, giving artificial nutrition, hydration and other procedure to a patient if that will help them get better. I have heard stories where hospitals know that the patient won’t make it, but they still decide to perform the procedure for money. This is wrong for them to do and I am against this evil scheme. Being in the healthcare industry, I follow the idea that the facility should do whatever they can help the patient only if they know that there is a chance for the patient to live. Hence, I feel comfortable about the medical procedures, and I think that they are worth trying to save the life of people. Lastly, I feel that trying to save lives is a good thing to do as it brings happiness and hopes in other life. If procedure can save life, then there is nothing wrong in performing them.
Give it to the writer to write responses to classmates discussion board with 100 words for each classmate.
