Paper Example on Cultural Differences at the End of Life

The underlying issue discussed was the cultural difference in a family when one of their members passes away. Mrs. Drake, for example, suffered a stroke and as a nurse dealing with such a condition requires much understanding on the cause of the problem before prescribing the appropriate medication for the patient (Rapaport, 2003). Mrs. Drake issue is an ethical consideration problem presenting vital decision making. Her children are deeply rooted in dignity problem while considering the ventilator issue and mechanical feeding mechanism. Her children insist that the use of such artificial devices demeans her dignity and they are worried about the length of time their mother would keep on living like that. On the hand, Dr. Lim does not know whether to remain vigil on the issue of maintaining the ventilator and feeding aids. He does not know whether to use the cultural beliefs of Mrs. Drakes children.

Dr. Lim provides a relational story. His mother had undergone almost similar problem. However, he did not let in cultural beliefs meddled with the care of her mother. He made all his siblings follow his lead as they take care of their mother. While linking the two scenarios, it would be basic to say that it is appropriate to remain vigilant on practices that would prolong life at all cost. Mrs. Drakes children may not know the ethics behind the nursing practice. As a result, they may be classified under naivety, which may not be of their making but attributed to the fact that they did not undertake the nursing profession. A doctor is mandated to respect human life and do everything possible within the clinical practice to ensure the battle to maintain someones life is working at all times and that it is approved.

However, the stakeholders in Mrs. Drakes illness were her three daughters and Dr. Lim who was in charge of their mothers medication. As a stakeholder, one needs to show interest in helping the situation at hand be better or find solutions to the issue affecting them rather than creating more problems. Despite the suffering of their mother asking Dr. Lim to remove the ventilator was not a good sign to solving the stroke illness that their mother was undergoing. Dr. Lim, in this case, has a substantial role. He holds a function to provide clinical advice to the naive daughters on the need to protect human life at all cost since the removal of ventilator and feeding aid would mean disaster. The daughters were at crossroads, especially on whether to support the feeding assistance and ventilator or chose the dignity death by eliminating such things. They believe that using such things lowers their mothers self-worth. Their mother was known for hard-working nature, but these ventilator and feeding aids show that her mother is incapable of operating on her own thus demeaning her previous abilities.

The debate on whether to adopt the support mechanisms and allow Mrs. Drake to battle with her life the natural way is a tough one to make. Her daughters see the end of life for her regardless of the use these materials. These materials seem only to extend the death time. On the hand, Dr. Lim is bound by nursing practices to provide the best clinical practices so as to improve the health outcome for his patient. Therefore, it is noteworthy to understand the cultural beliefs for the end of life cases. However, clinical practices are universal and should play in most scenarios. Considering the fact, Dr. Lim has a function to sit down with three daughters and convince them on the virtue of respect for life on the clinical concept. Termination of life with use f euthanasia works in a certain case, especially when the victim consents. However, dignity death would mean that an individual is allowed to battle her life until the end.

The specific alternative resolutions that can be used in treating people with stroke is by giving proper guidance and counseling to the family of the patient. For example, giving an assurance on the wellness of the patient at all times and encouraging them to work together with other family members in ensuring that their patient receives the best medication at the healthcare (Care, 2017). At some point when the medication is not working, and the family sees that their patient is suffering more, they can always discuss and agree with the doctor if euthanasia meaning the act of mercy killing could be done to end the life. For example for Mrs. Drake removing the machine that she uses for breathing as her kids were suggesting could have led to her death. In short, their elimination would translate to polite mercy killing. However, every second count as a life lived for the end of life individuals. They should be given a chance to battle their life until the end.

Constant counseling of the worried family members would mean that they understand the end of life scenario. Also, the provision of relational cases would act as a relief for them. They will come to realize that they are not the only affected victims. Other people have undergone the same problem too, and they used step one, two, three, to solve the menace. Relational stories provide relief to such people. However, the option to battle with life carries with financial exploitation. Clinical processes would use too much money in the course of maintaining Mrs. Drakes life. The daughters sand risk of becoming financial bankrupt. However, it is the acceptable way both clinically and biblically. Mercy killing would sound clinically okay, but it disobeys Gods one of the greatest commandments that are Do Not Kill. Killing is killing whether merciful or not.

A positive consequence of euthanasia is that the family will be freed from significant medical funds. It also acts as a way of relieving pain to the patient as her response to medication was low among others. The money that would be used in covering medical bills would be used in solving otherwise crucial things for the daughters that would support their wellbeing. The disadvantage of euthanasia is that the nurse or doctor who conducted the mercy killing might be tormented for some time. It feels like a devaluation of a persons life denying them their freedom of choice to battle with the illness till the end.

The end of life scenario presents unique points and debates, some of which are hard to balance. Numerous ethical considerations are hard to discuss and realize the chief idea. The clinical euthanasia concept delves on mercy killing while saving affected individuals on unnecessary expenses. The doctors by practice are restricted to embrace clinical practice and offer appropriate advice. Therefore, Dr. Lim has a significant role in this case. Therefore, there is substantial need to balance the reasoning based on Biblical view and clinical perspectives. More significantly, the cultural beliefs may be wrong. The urge to eliminate breathing and feeding aids, according to cultural beliefs presents dignity preservation for the mother. On the other hand, clinical perspective would champion for the use of such artificial machines as a way of keeping her alive since when removed she would die. Conclusively, it is a tough situation in which the individual may find hard to concur to one working principle. However, consents and agreements amidst involved partisans may work to solve the puzzle.

References

Care, T. P. (2017). Call for Action: Nurses Lead and Transform Palliative Care.

Rapaport Diane. (2003). Cultural Differences at the End of Life. Vol 5(6). https://journalsofethics.ama-assn.org/2003/06/ccas1-0306.html.