Read the Case Study: End-of-Life Decisions” document or one provided by your instructor. Based on the reading of the case
The practice of health care providers at all levels brings you into contact with people from a variety of faiths. This calls for basic knowledge and understanding of different faith expressions. No matter what someone\’s worldview is, death and dying is a difficult experience whether emotions are expressed or not. For the purpose of this assignment, the focus will be on the Christian worldview.
Read the Case Study: End-of-Life Decisions” document or one provided by your instructor. Based on the reading of the case, the Christian worldview, and the worldview questions presented in the required topic Resources, you will complete an ethical analysis of situation of the individual(s) and their decisions from the perspective of the Christian worldview.
Based on your reading of “Case Study: End-of-Life Decisions” document (or one provided by your instructor) and topic Resources, complete the “Death and Dying: Case Analysis” document in a maximum of 2,000 words, in which you will analyze the case study in relation to the following:
- Christian view of the fallen world and the hope of resurrection
- Christian worldview of the value of life
- Christian worldview of suffering
- Empathy for the individual(s) as they are supported and cared, actions, and their consequences
- Respect for the perspectives of individual(s) different from personal and professional values, conscious and unconscious biases related to human rights in health care practice, actions, and their consequences
- Personal decision-making based on personal worldview
Support your response using only the following Topic 4 Resources:
- Chapter 4 from the textbook Practicing Dignity: An Introduction to Christian Values and Decision-Making in Health Care
- “Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: Theological and Ethical Responses”
- “Always Care, Never Kill: How Physician-Assisted Suicide Endangers the Weak, Corrupts Medicine, Compromises the Family, and Violates Human Dignity and Equality” Always Care, Never Kill: How Physician-Assisted Suicide Endangers the Weak, Corrupts Medicine, Compromises the Family, and Violates Human Dignity and Equality | The Heritage Foundation
Expert Answer and Explanation
Death and Dying: Case Analysis
How George can Interpret His Suffering in Light of the Christian View of the Fallen World and Resurrection
| According to Christianity, the world is fallen because of sin. As a result, there are many imperfections experienced and they include and not limited to sin, crime, sickness and disease, immorality, and death among others.
Therefore, George can interpret his suffering as a consequence of living in a fallen world. Although he has been faithful in his vocation calling, has been a present dad, and even volunteered in the community, living in an imperfect world does not protect him from suffering aspects such as illness (Gonçalves et al., 2022). However, through his illness, he can bring some perfection to the world. For instance, his contribution to the community shows that he will enjoy reciprocated empathy and compassion. However, regardless of his current sufferings he should have hope because God has never left his sight. It is part of our calling as Christians to allow God’s work through us even if it means suffering. He can compare his suffering to the way Christ suffered regardless of living without sin (Mijatović, 2021). However, his suffering was necessary as it allowed Christians to enjoy salvation and eternal life. Instead of focusing on his current pain and future trajectory, he can focus on the purpose of his current trials and work to achieve them. By maintaining hope and staying strong regardless of his current situation, he can ensure that Christ is glorified through him. While it is evident that there is more suffering that awaits him because of the nature of his illness, he should remain steadfast in his faith and keep his hope in the resurrection (Hall et al., 2022). In the Christian worldview, death is not the end of life as they should look forward to resurrection. With this in mind, he should keep his faith and persevere in suffering just like Christ does. After death he will have a perfect body, living in a perfect body with no pain or suffering. |
How George Must Contemplate Life with Their Dilemma and the Role of Christian View in Helping Him Understand His Value as a Person
| The Christian worldview would not offer euthanasia as a solution to any given life. This is because it focuses on the sanctity of life and considers euthanasia as suicide. Christianity perceives life as a gift from God from conception. Bogue et al. (2022) note that for Christians, God is the sustainer of life and as a gift, he can take it away when he wants.
Therefore, taking away life is defying God’s will to live. Additionally, the Christian worldview also focuses on imago Dei which means the image of God. This means that regardless of any shortcomings whether physical, cognitive, emotional, or psychological humans are intrinsically valuable. Therefore, suffering from a disease such as ALS does not limit the natural worth of human life (Gonçalves et al., 2022). It is also notable the Christian worldview argues that Christians are stewards of their bodies and therefore they should try to seek their end but instead care for them the best way they can. In the position of the patient with ALS, this includes going to therapy and following treatments prescribed by doctors. Christianity also focuses on the importance of growth and suffering. Notably, suffering is crucial in deepening faith and increasing reliance on God. Therefore, there is more to be gained in sickness than just suffering. Focusing on a person’s inherent worth regardless of their physical shortcomings, Christianity has been emphasizing compassion and dignity. This means that health practitioners and caretakers should offer comfort and care to patients during their illness (Londral, 2022). Additionally, they should focus on the individual’s dignity and avoid aggressive treatment that aims to prolong a person’s suffering. With this in mind, the patient is guaranteed that even in suffering they will not be alone, and they will always be taken care of. Especially in the case of this patient, it is evident that he has been active in the community and therefore reciprocity, respect, and empathy will come naturally to the people around him. |
How the Concept of Suffering in their Thoughts and Choices
| Suffering in a Christian worldview is integral in decision-making for Christians. A Christian can have two perspectives and through them, they can decide on the choices they can take at any given position. One perspective on suffering is considering it as a test and refinement of themselves.
When Christians see suffering as a test of their faith, they can persevere through more pain without losing hope or complaining. Furthermore, they can increase their reliance on God, and further refine their character but shunning from sin and seeking God’s strength (Bogue et al., 2022). Considering this view in the patient suffering from ALS, he might be willing to persevere and experience more treatments, which he will view as a test of faith in God. Another perspective of suffering is compassion and empathy. Christians understand that we should be empathetic and compassionate to those who are suffering. This means that as a Christian, one should always be ready to help alleviate the suffering of other people for the greater glory of God and because human beings are inherently worthy regardless of their situation. When considering deliberating the choices for an ALS patient, they might therefore consider treatments that improve their comfort instead of complicated treatments. Suffering in the Christian worldview is based on the concept of life after death. Therefore, a person might be willing to suffer as they prepare for the eternal life. This will give them a good chance to enhance their faith in God, and even prepare themselves spiritually for the afterlife. As a result, the ALS patient can perceive suffering as a chance to give up sin and live solely for the kingdom of life (Mijatović, 2021). This will improve their relationship with other people, themselves, and most importantly their relationship with God. As a result, even if they are suffering, they will be focusing on the afterlife and therefore they will be at peace regardless of the outcomes of their illness. |
How to Support and Care for George and A Reflection of the Consequences
| As a Christian, I would accompany the individual and empathize with their situation differently. One way is through spiritual support, while I might not be able to reduce their suffering I can pray with them, and even read the scripture together to offer them comfort.
I would follow Hardy’s (2021) argument of encouraging them to reflect spiritually and offer help whenever they need it. As a Christian, I would also listen actively to them instead of offering generic concerns such as assuring them everything will be alright. I would allow them to express their frustrations, fears, or hopes without judging their opinions. Moreover, I would try and practically help them through aspects such as offering meals when they need to, volunteering to coach the basketball team on their behalf, offer transport to the places where they need to be. My actions will have positive consequences for the individual and myself. For the individual, they will ease the burdens they might experience such as worrying over transport or meals. Additionally, they will feel valued and understood and therefore feel that God has not abandoned them in their fight. This will further fuel their spiritual; growth as they will continue to trust God for their healing (Katarzyna Ciećwierska et al., 2023). I will enjoy spiritual fulfillment because I am carrying out the acts of mercy that are the calling of every Christian. |
How To Respect George’s Differences in Perspectives and How I Can Address My Biases
| One way I can demonstrate respect for the perspective of the individual especially if they are different from my personal and professional values is by understanding their fears. Their perspective can be attributed to many factors such as cultural provisions, experiences, or even fear.
Therefore, I would seek to support their decisions. Moreover, I would ensure that I respect their autonomy such as their right to make their own healthcare decisions and this might not align with my values. I would focus on my role of providing full information, ensuring that I maintain ethical conduct and treat them with dignity regardless of their choices. Nonetheless, there is a possibility that I might have conscious and unconscious biases that might affect how I relate to the person. I would address the bias through self-reflection, ensuring that I understand what might cause my biases, and make a conscious effort to understand and respect the patient. Additionally, it would challenge my assumption and where need be look for more information in understanding different perspectives. This will ensure that I respect other people’s opinions. As a result of my actions, the patient will feel respected and this will greatly improve their care outcomes. |
My Decision If I Was In George’s Situation
| As a Christian, I believe in the inherent worth of individuals. Therefore, if I were in George’s view, I would hang on to life up to the very end. I would ensure that I place my affairs in order, such as writing a will, choosing my healthcare provider, forgiving other people, and spending the best days with my family before my body degenerates even further (Horowski & Kowalski, 2021).
I must however admit that this might be hard given the previous life. George was very active in his community, career, and his family. Losing all this independence might make one lose their sense of purpose and result in unfortunate circumstances such as preferring euthanasia. However, I would express my fears to my trusted friends or family members and I am certain that they would give me the hope to bravely face my suffering. Additionally, I would turn to God in prayer as this will tremendously increase my faith and help me deal with everything that will come out of the sickness. Moreover, the hope of eternal life will make me stay faithful to God up to the last minute. |
References
Bogue, D., Hogan, M., White, N., Hoehner, P., Self, C., & Evans, K. (2022). Practicing Dignity An Introduction to Christian Values and Decision Making in Health Care (2nd ed.). Grand Canyon University.
Gonçalves, F., Teixeira, M. I., & Magalhães, B. (2022). The Role of Spirituality In People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and their Caregivers: Scoping Review. Palliative & Supportive Care, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1478951522001511
Hall, M. E. L., McMartin, J., Park, C. L., Sacco, S. J., Kim, D., Kapic, K., Silverman, E., Shannonhouse, L., Aten, J., Snow, L. M., & Lopez, L. (2022). Suffering with Christ: Emic Christian Coping and Relation to Well-being. SSM – Mental Health, 2, 100158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmmh.2022.100158
Hardy, J. (2021). Hope As Community: Spiritual Care for Families with Members Who Have Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Canadian Journal of Theology, Mental Health and Disability, 1(2), 137–146. https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cjtmhd/article/view/37803/28766
Horowski, J., & Kowalski, M. (2021). Human Health and Christianity in the Context of the Dilemma of Forgiveness. Journal of Religion and Health, 61(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-021-01424-1
Katarzyna Ciećwierska, Dorothée Lulé, Semb, O., Krzysztof Nieporęcki, Bielecki, M., Baader, S., Ludolph, A. C., & Kuźma‐Kozakiewicz, M. (2023). Religiosity in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, A Cross-country Comparison. Quality of Life Research, 32(8), 2235–2246. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-023-03383-4
Londral, A. (2022). Assistive Technologies for Communication Empower Patients With ALS to Generate and Self-Report Health Data. Frontiers in Neurology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.867567
Mijatović, F. (2021). (In)active God—Coping with Suffering and Pain from the Perspective of Christianity. Religions, 12(11), 939. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12110939
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Case Study: End-of-Life Decisions
George is a successful attorney in his mid-fifties. He is also a legal scholar, holding a teaching post at the local university law school in Oregon. George is also actively involved in his teenage son’s basketball league, coaching regularly for their team. Recently, George has experienced muscle weakness and unresponsive muscle coordination. He was forced to seek medical attention after he fell and injured his hip. After an examination at the local hospital following his fall, the attending physician suspected that George may be showing early symptoms for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The week following the initial examination, further testing revealed a positive diagnosis of ALS.
ALS is progressive and gradually causes motor neuron deterioration and muscle atrophy to the point of complete muscle control loss. There is currently no cure for ALS, and the median life expectancy is between 3 and 4 years, though it is not uncommon for some to live 10 or more years. The progressive muscle atrophy and deterioration of motor neurons lead to the loss of the ability to speak, move, eat, and breathe. However, sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell are not affected. Patients will rely on a wheelchair and eventually need permanent ventilator support to assist with breathing.
George and his family are devastated by the diagnosis. George knows that treatment options only attempt to slow down the degeneration, but the symptoms will eventually come.
In contemplating his future life with ALS, George begins to dread the prospect of losing his mobility and even speech. He imagines his life in complete dependence upon others for basic everyday functions and perceives the possibility of eventually degenerating to the point at which he is a prisoner in his own body. Would he be willing to undergo such torture, such loss of his own dignity and power? George thus begins inquiring about the possibility of voluntary euthanasia.
Death and Dying: Case Analysis
After reading the “Case Study: End-of-Life Decisions” document (or one provided by your instructor) and topic Resources, respond to the following, using only citations from the case and other topic Resources:
