scholarly journals End-of-Life Issues in the United States after Terri Schiavo: Implications for Social Work Practice

10.18060/1841 ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darrel Montero
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
The Status ◽  
End Of Life Issues

The very public death of Terri Schiavo in 2005 alerted Americans to what is a growing ethical, medical, and social crisis: the status of end-of-life issues and decisions in the United States. Currently, Oregon is the only state to give terminally ill patients the right to end their lives, with physicians’ help, if they so choose. Public opinion data from 1977 to the present show that Americans support greater rights for individuals facing end-of-life decisions--up to and including physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. This paper considers the status of end-of-life issues in the United States after Terri Schiavo’s death and examines the opportunities for advocacy by social workers who serve clients and families encountering this complex and controversial issue.

End-of-Life Issues in United States Veterinary Medicine Schools

2010 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
George E. Dickinson ◽  
Paul D. Roof ◽  
Karin W. Roof
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Veterinary Medicine ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Baccalaureate Nursing ◽  
Clinical Work ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nursing Schools ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
The Status ◽  
End Of Life Issues

AbstractThe purpose of this research endeavor was to determine the status of dying, death, and bereavement as topics within the curricula of the 28 veterinary medicine schools in the United States. Data were obtained via a mailed questionnaire (100% return rate). Results revealed that over 96% of the schools have offerings related to end-of-life issues, with 80% of students exposed to these offerings. The average number of hours students devote to end-of-life issues is 14.64, about the same as for U.S. medical and baccalaureate nursing schools. Topics covered most often are “euthanasia” and “communication with owners of dying animals.” Veterinary schools over-whelmingly note that dying, death, and bereavement are important topics. It might be helpful to veterinary medicine students if their own feelings regarding dying and death were addressed early in the curriculum and throughout class activities and clinical work. Veterinarians would likely relate better to animal guardians and to nonhuman animals themselves if they felt more comfortable with dying and death.

End-of-Life Care in the Netherlands and the United States: A Comparison of Values, Justifications, and Practices

1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy E. Quill ◽  
Gerrit Kimsma
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Ethical Climate ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide

Voluntary active euthanasia (VAE) and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) remain technically illegal in the Netherlands, but the practices are openly tolerated provided that physicians adhere to carefully constructed guidelines. Harsh criticism of the Dutch practice by authors in the United States and Great Britain has made achieving a balanced understanding of its clinical, moral, and policy implications very difficult. Similar practice patterns probably exist in the United States, but they are conducted in secret because of a more uncertain legal and ethical climate. In this manuscript, we plan to compare end-of-life care in the United States and the Netherlands with regard to underlying values, justifications, and practices. We will explore the risks and benefits of each system for a real patient who was faced with a common end-of-life clinical dilemma, and close with challenges for public policies in both countries.

Death and Dying Content in Undergraduate Social Work Education: Student Views of Their Preparation for End-of-Life Practice

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Sanders
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Education Student ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
Work Education

The majority of the literature specific to end-of-life content within social work education has pertained to master's level students. This descriptive study examined how prepared 272 BSW students from Pennsylvania colleges and universities felt they were for addressing end-of-life issues in social work practice, regardless of setting. This study identified that students did not feel prepared to assist clients with end-of-life situations. Students provided a list of recommendations for the types of end-of-life content they thought should be included in the social work curriculum. Strategies for including end-of-life content into the baccalaureate social work curriculum are included.

scholarly journals Patient experiences of shared decision-making are associated with implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients" openness to discuss device deactivation at end-of-life

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
OJ Oh ◽  
KS Lee ◽  
J Miller ◽  
M Hammash ◽  
DR Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Shared Decision Making ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Institution ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Icd Implantation ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): In Australia, this study received funding from a faculty grand by Australian University Faculty of Health Sciences Research grant. In the United States, the study was funded by a research professor award from University of Kentucky. Background. Shared decision-making is important for ICD recipients to fully contemplate and rationally decide about ICD deactivation at end-of-life. Although discussions about device deactivation at end-of-life are recommended to be held before ICD implantation and throughout the illness trajectory, such discussions rarely occur in clinical practice. Purpose. To identify whether ICD recipients’ experiences of end-of-life discussions with clinicians are associated with openness to discussing ICD deactivation at end-of-life. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 293 ICD recipients living in the United States, Australia, and South Korea (mean age 59, 22.5% female, mean ICD implantation 10 years). Hierarchical logistic regression was used to determine whether patients’ experiences of shared decision-making were associated with openness to discuss device deactivation at end-of-life after controlling for relevant covariates (i.e. age, gender, ICD implantation years, ICD shock experience, general ICD experience, ICD knowledge, and concerns related to the ICD). Results. About half of the participants (57.7%) were open to discussing ICD deactivation at end-of-life with clinicians. Almost one-quarter (23.5%) had no prior experience of discussing any end-of-life issues with clinicians. Patients’ past experiences of end-of-life discussions with clinicians were significantly associated with openness to discuss device deactivation at end-of-life (OR: 1.30) after adjusting for covariates. Conclusion. Our results highlight that clinicians’ willingness to discuss sensitive end-of-life issues such as battery replacement and deactivation of defibrillation therapy empowers patients to actively engage in end-of-life discussions.

Bachelor of Social Work Students' Interest in End-of-Life Social Work Practice: Determining the Influential Factors

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (sp1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Sanders ◽  
Peggy McFarland
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Bachelor Of Social Work ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
End Of Life Issues ◽  
Work Education

End-of-life issues are becoming a predominant topic within social work education. This study examined undergraduate social work students' interest in end-of-life practice. Through the use of qualitative analysis, it was found that students who were interested in gerontology, who were more comfortable with the dying process, or who had experienced more personal deaths were more attracted to pursuing a career in end-of-life practice. Those students who were not interested in end-of-life social work practice wanted to work with children/adolescents, viewed the topic as depressing, and were concerned about lack of practice skills. Suggestions for integrating end-of-life material into the undergraduate social work curriculum are included.

Physician-Assisted Suicide and the Rise of Secularism

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Karen Wenger ◽  
Keyword(s):  
End Of Life ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Life Issues ◽  
Wish To Die ◽  
Aid In Dying ◽  
The Media ◽  
End Of Life Issues

The media has been instrumental in disseminating and glamorizing physician-assisted suicide, also known as aid in dying and medical aid in dying The organization Compassion and Choices claims that people seeking physician-assisted suicide want to live, carefully plan their demise, and often include family, while those who choose suicide are not terminally ill and wish to die, are typically impulsive in their decision, and act independently of family. The award-winning documentary How to Die in Oregon examines both sides of the debate and features several individuals as they struggle with end-of-life issues. The filmmakers help the viewer ponder important questions about the purported benefit of physician-assisted suicide.

Rights Discourse and Assisted Suicide

2001 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-99
Author(s):  
Penney Lewis
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Criminal Trials ◽  
Supreme Courts ◽  
Rights Discourse ◽  
Law Professors

The debate surrounding the legalization of assisted suicide has been galvanized in recent years by reports of specific cases of assisted suicide, primarily involving physicians such as Kevorkian and Quill, and by impassioned pleas for legalization and assistance in suicide from individuals suffering in the throes of terminal or agonizing diseases, such as Sue Rodriguez. Media attention on criminal trials of individuals accused of assisting in a suicide has heightened public awareness of the issue. The constitutionality of criminal prohibitions on assisted suicide has been tested in various jurisdictions, and has recently been considered by the Supreme Courts of both the United States and Canada. Following two narrowly unsuccessful attempts to enact dignified death provisions by referenda in Washington and California, Oregon voters passed the first of such proposed laws in November 1994, providing for physician-assisted suicide under certain specified conditions. Attempts to introduce legislation to legalize assisted suicide in other jurisdictions have been galvanized by the success in Oregon. A model statute has been drafted by a group of law professors, philosophers and medical professionals.

Visions of community

1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-38
Author(s):  
Pauline Jivanjee ◽  
Susan Tebb
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Women's Movements ◽  
Work Education

Experiences traveling in Kenya provide a backdrop to an examination of the principles and practices of the Harambee and women’s movements in Kenya as they compare with feminist social work practice in the United States. Concluding remarks address the implications of our learning for our work in social work education.

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