Which of the following is an example of active euthanasia?
- injecting a lethal dose of a drug to a terminally ill patient
- turning off the respirator of a comatose patient
- removing a heart-lung machine of an individual in a vegetative state
- stopping the supply of antibiotics to a person with a viral infection
Active Euthanasia: Death induced deliberately, as by injecting a lethal dose of a drug.
Which of the following statements is true of the document known as Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)?
- POLST involves a health-care professional and a patient or surrogate conferring to determine and state the wishes of the patient.
- POLST comes into effect after a patient who signed the document passes away.
- POLST is accepted in all 50 states in the United States.
- POLST was initiated many years ago and hence it is not as specific as some of the recent advance directives.
Which of the following statements is true of a living will?
- It is a legally binding document that comes into effect when the individual who signed the document passes away.
- Only the terminally ill can write a living will.
- The next of kin can write a living will for a patient if the patient is in a coma.
- It is an advanced directive that is accepted by laws in all 50 states in the United States.
Laws in ________ states (in the United States) accept advance directives/living wills as reflecting an individual's wishes.
- 40
- 45
- 48
- 50
Memory: A central feature of cognitive development, pertaining to all situations in which an individual retains information over time.
An advance directive, such as a living will, must be signed when
- at least two medical professionals are present.
- a doctor and a lawyer are present.
- an individual is told he or she has a life-threatening condition.
- an individual is able to think clearly.
Attention: The focusing of mental resources on select information.
A(n) ________ refers to a legal document that reflects the patient's advance care planning.
- last request
- dying will
- living will
- easy death order
Which of the following organizations created a legal document that reflects a patient's advance care planning?
- Death Wish Commune
- Choice in Dying
- Euthanasia Undertaking
- Death Drive Pact
Organization: Piaget’s concept of grouping isolated behaviors and thoughts into a higher-order, more smoothly functioning cognitive system.
Terry is in the final stages of skin cancer, a condition that causes her severe pain and discomfort. At Terry's insistence and her family's approval, her doctor agrees to end her pain by administering a lethal dose of a drug. This is an example of ________ euthanasia.
- passive
- universally legal
- natural
- active
Euthanasia: The act of painlessly ending the lives of persons who are suffering from incurable diseases or severe disabilities; sometimes called “mercy killing.” In euthanasia, the physician or a third party administers the lethal medication (active euthanasia) or withholds life-sustaining treatments.
Turning off a respirator or a heart-lung machine is an example of ________ euthanasia.
- active
- deliberate
- passive
- sustained
Euthanasia: The act of painlessly ending the lives of persons who are suffering from incurable diseases or severe disabilities; sometimes called “mercy killing.” In euthanasia, the physician or a third party administers the lethal medication (active euthanasia) or withholds life-sustaining treatments.
Basilio, a cocaine addict, sustained severe and irreversible brain damage because of an accidental overdose of drugs. After spending weeks in the hospital, he did not show any signs of improvement. His wife and children then decided to request the hospital authorities to remove his life-support system in order to allow Basilio to die. In this scenario, the withholding of the life-support system is an example of ________ euthanasia.
- active
- passive
- natural
- culturally acceptable
Euthanasia: The act of painlessly ending the lives of persons who are suffering from incurable diseases or severe disabilities; sometimes called “mercy killing.” In euthanasia, the physician or a third party administers the lethal medication (active euthanasia) or withholds life-sustaining treatments.
Damon met with a car accident 4 years ago and has been terminally ill since then. He suffered multiple fractures to his skull that caused him to slip into a coma. He has been in a vegetative state for over 3 years now. His family finally agrees to end his suffering by turning off his respirator. In this scenario, the withholding of the respirator is an example of ________ euthanasia.
- passive
- active
- natural
- acceptable
Angelique is in the final stage of breast cancer. Her latest reports indicate that the cancer cells have spread to her lungs and other organs. She knows that she does not have a chance to fight this battle and hence accepts the fact that she will die in a couple of weeks. She requests her doctor to end her life painlessly through medication as she is not able to bear the pain. Which of the following acts is Angelique requesting her doctor to perform?
- aphasia
- asphyxia
- euthanasia
- dysthanasia
Sometimes euthanasia is called
- "honor killing."
- "mercy killing."
- "quick death."
- "violent death."
What do studies say of the American attitude toward euthanasia after the Terri Schiavo incident?
- The general public and experts entirely agree on the precise boundaries of implementing the practice of euthanasia.
- General population favors active euthanasia.
- There is a trend toward accepting passive euthanasia in cases of terminally ill patients.
- The inflammatory argument of equating the practice of euthanasia with suicide has increased substantially.
Passive Euthanasia: The withholding of available treatments, such as life-sustaining devices, in order to allow a person to die.
In which of the following states is assisted suicide not considered a crime?
- Nevada
- Texas
- Washington
- New York
Assisted Suicide: Requires the patient to self-administer the lethal medication, and the patient is allowed to decide when and where to do this.
Active euthanasia is legal in the state of
- California.
- Florida.
- New York.
- Oregon.
Religion: An organized set of beliefs, practices, rituals, and symbols that increases an individual’s connection to a sacred or transcendent other (God, higher power, or higher truth).
Which of the following statements is true of assisted suicide?
- Canada was the first country to give legal status to assisted suicide.
- In some states of the United States where assisted suicide is illegal, the crime is typically considered manslaughter or a felony.
- The U.S. government has an official policy on assisted suicide, and it decides the legality of assisted suicide in any state.
- Assisted suicide is legal in Europe except in Switzerland, Luxemburg, and Belgium.
Assisted Suicide: Requires the patient to self-administer the lethal medication, and the patient is allowed to decide when and where to do this.
Assisted suicide is legal in several countries, including
- the Netherlands and Belgium.
- Africa and India.
- Canada and Sweden.
- China and Japan.
Assisted Suicide: Requires the patient to self-administer the lethal medication, and the patient is allowed to decide when and where to do this.
Euthanasia is otherwise known as
- easy death.
- death wish.
- involuntary death.
- painless death.
Brain Death: A neurological definition of death. A person is brain dead when all electrical activity of the brain has ceased for a specified period of time. A flat EEG recording is one criterion of brain death.
Mike is an American citizen residing in Colorado. He is diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He decides to undergo chemotherapy, but his doctor informs him that there is only a slim chance for an improvement in his condition. The doctor also tells him that he has only a few weeks to live. Suffering from deep pain and discomfort, Mike loses the hope to live. He then requests his doctor to provide a lethal injection that can be self-administered. After consulting his family and completing the paperwork, he self-administers the injection and passes away peacefully. Which of the following statements is true of this scenario?
- This is a case of active euthanasia.
- This is a case of passive euthanasia.
- This is a case of assisted suicide.
- This is a case of involuntary manslaughter.