Autonomy and Terminal Illness Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Autonomy and Terminal Illness - Case Study Example Sally is described as terminally ill with metastasis in other vital organs by her oncologist and confirmed by her attending physician as a poor candidate for the continuance of chemotherapy treatment. As a patient, Sally has the right to be informed on all the treatment that she is supposed to receive and so with her family members. However, since she is in denial of her condition and in panic of her impending death, the physician has the autonomy to decide to write the Do not resuscitate order. In this scenario, the involvement of the patient in decision making is not that important since she will be less concern on the adverse effects of resuscitation on her health. Equally important to consider is the wish of the patient to be treated the way she likes. Treating the patient as she wishes is within the scope of professional code of the doctors. It is their responsibility to deliver quality care to their patients and treat them the way their patients like it to be. However, this seems not applicable in Sally’s condition because it is not consistent with the physician’s AMA code of ethics which dictates they have the obligation to modify management goal to palliative form if other treatments is in effective ( McCabe, 2008). This is further supported by the statement of Dr. Reith Rose, Sunnybrook executive vice president in her written statement that when clinical teams determine that further interventions would have no benefit to the patient, health care providers are not obliged to provide intervention that lie outside the standard care which indeed may well cause harm ( Smith, 2010). Although, the medical goal of the physician is to prolong life, the Do not resuscitate (DNR) order should be applied to Sally even after taking into consideration its ethical theories, patient’s right, and professional code of doctors because it is the lesser evil. Resuscitating Sally is deemed medically