ADJUSTING THE TIME AND MANNER OF DYING TERMINAL CONDITION ADJUSTING THE TIME AND MANNER OF DYING
TERMINAL ILLNESS/CONDITION DEFINITION A CONDITION, BROUGHT ON BY DISEASE OR INJURY, WHICH IS PRESENT IN PATIENTS WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE KEY SYSTEM OR MULTIPLE SYSTEM FAILURE, WHICH IS PART OF AN IRREVERSIBLE AND/OR DETERIORATING PROCESS AND WHICH WILL RESULT IN DEATH AS AN INEVITABLE AND PREDICTABLE OUTCOME. FINAL PHASE OF AN OTHERWISE CHRONIC CONDITION
SOME KEY ISSUES “TIME” DESIGNATION [ARBITRARY?] ROLE OF NATURAL SELECTIVE FACTORS DEATH AS FAILURE OF BODY SYSTEMS OR FAILURE OF TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY AS “HASTENING” DEATH OR “LENGTHENING” LIFE QUALITY OF LIFE QUESTIONS AFTER DIAGNOSIS PAIN CONTROL PLEASURES ACTIVITIES
ADJUSTING THE TIME AND MANNER OF DYING: THE CAUSAL CONNECTIONS IN THE DISEASE/INJURY NETWORK PROGRESS OF DISEASE SYMPTOMS THERAPEUTIC RESPONSES INITIATING TREATMENT WITHHOLDING/WITHDRAWING TREATMENT DECISIONS [INTENTIONS] PATIENT [REFUSAL OF TREATMENT] SURROGATE CAREGIVER PHYSICIAN’S DIRECT CAUSAL ACTIVITY ADDRESSING PATHOLOGICAL CONDITION CAUSAL FACTORS EXTERNAL TO THE DISEASE NETWORK MEDICATIONS --- ACTIONS --- INTENTIONS
RIGHT TO REFUSE TREATMENT RIGHT TO PRIVACY 1,4,5,9,14 AMENDMENTS QUINLAN (1976] ET AL.. CRUZAN (1990) LIBERTY RIGHT (14TH AMENDMENT] ENDORSED BY THE PATIENT SELF-DETERMINATION ACT (1990] VACCO V. QUILL (1997) “EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF PHYSICIAL CONDITION, IS ENTITLED , IF COMPETENT, TO REFUSE UNWANTED LIFESAVING MEDICAL TREATMENT; NO ONE IS PERMITTED TO ASSIST A SUICIDE.”