Imagine that you are an emergency room doctor. One evening, a patient comes in who has attempted suicide. You learn that this patient is terminally ill and has do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders. As you begin to treat the patient, they stop breathing. You must choose one of the following: 1) try to resuscitate the patient or 2) abide the patient’s DNR order. Before choosing your answer, research both options from a doctor’s perspective – there is a reason why this is considered an ethical issue. In your post, include the following:
• Explain what terminally ill means and give an example of a terminal illness (don’t just state the illness – be sure to explain what it is and how the body is affected).
• Explain the ethical dilemma that this scenario presents.
• State your decision. Include at least 3 reasons as to why you chose this.
• Include at least 3 reputable scientific sources. Reputable sources= peer reviewed scientific journal articles, accredited websites, or books. Google, Wikipedia, etc. are not acceptable sources.
