✞✞✞ when ethics and palliative care collide!! ☤☤☤

Aging process becomes an eye opener, how those once keen and sharp minds end to this muddled and often confused state.  But all the joy comes back when their wits turns to the innocent (some perceive it as stupid) and child like questions and antics. Well, i won't generalize it for everybody, some wallow in loneliness and develop anti- social behavior. But that's where the magic of nursing care arises and paves the way for the older adults to live a life, if not to the fullest but with dignity and quality.

Then comes the hardest part, when the client's condition spirals down and the family and the ceiling of care has been established. Palliative care has played an increased significance to the population, young and old age. Palliative care is generally accepted here in New Zealand and it does offer the best option to several health condition. Quality of life is assessed and discussed between the health team, family and the patient (well, if they are still compos mentis). 

Issues emerge when patients are classified as palliative care. I suppose because some people don't understand what Palliative care is or it could be culturally motivated. Often, you hear the word euthanasia during conversation, is palliative care a form of euthanasia? Why do they have this notion? From this human's little brain's opinion, primarily due to the use of medication to alleviate their pain and distress. And which we know this medication can also hasten the life of the patient.

Is euthanasia ethical? Or mercy killing showing mercy at all? Controversies that have been debated over and over again. I grew up a Catholic and I intend to die a Catholic. And my faith tells me to respect life, to be proactive and yet I am here doing the opposite, or is it really the opposite? Was I involved in assisted killing when all we wanted is to keep him comfortable in his/her last hours? 

I will fervently say "NO", I did the right thing but for someone else, I did a terrible action despite the fact it is a part of my job to follow the plan of the collective planning of several disciplines including the family and patient allowed. Was I comfortable giving medications? If I believe this was euthanasia, do I have the right to refuse the plan and let other nurses administer medications for me? Will I get upset after a patient dies hours after I started their infusions or given them medications?

If there's one thing I mastered, it is to be objective. The patient's comfort is the priority, I feel shit after but I have learned to overcome the guilt and punch myself back to reality. As a Nurse, I have seen how a comfortable and quiet death impacts on a family. The Palliative Care assists from end of life care to family support and this leads to a different scenario of misery to acceptance and being able to live the rest of their lives of their choosing and ending it with a bang.

No one will win and judgement to who is right will be known when we eventually face Him.