DBQ-End of Life Policy

Ryan 

Week 8: End of Life Policy

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Overall, I think that Colorado's SB16-025 is a good policy. I think that implementing the policy would be challenging because it gives physicians the right to prescribe these medications to patients that are suffering, but some health care facilities have their own practices and may prevent physicians from doing this. This could also influence access. If a patient is terminally ill and they are admitted to a hospital or hospice care that does not allow physicians to prescribe these medications, then they do not have the access to die with dignity, even though their particular state allows it. 1

I live in Oregon (one of the 5 states that has some form of this law) and my cousin's grandmother had a massive stroke a couple of months ago. She had no chance of recovery and couldn't communicate. But, she had put this section of her wishes in her will that stated if she had some sort of health problem where she would not recover, and her quality of life was poor, that she wanted to die with dignity. I think having this in her will was a good thing because her family didn't have to choose, because she had already chosen. Her husband put on a nice suit and held her hand while the medication was put into her IV. She got to slowly fall asleep surrounded by her closest loved ones. I'm glad we live in a state where people can choose what happens to them, especially if they have no chance of recovery and their quality of life is so poor. So, because of this, I think Colorado's SB16-025 is a good policy. People need the right to choose what happens to them.

References:

1. Colorado General Assembly. End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients. https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb16-025 Accessed April 15, 2017.

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