Based on the case and topic Resources, in 300-400 words, how might the individual(s) interpret their suffering in light of the Christian view of the fallen world and the hope of resurrection?
Death and Dying: Case Analysis
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 leads to the loss of the ability to speak, move, eat, and breathe. However, sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell are not affected. Patients will be wheelchair bound 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. He will eventually be wheelchair bound and be unable to move, eat, speak, or even breathe on his own.
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.
Assignment:
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 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”
While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education
This assignment aligns with AACN Core Competencies 9.1, 9.2, 9.6
Verified Expert Answer and Explanation
Death and Dying: Case Analysis
Student Name:
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 topic Resources:
Based on the case and topic Resources, in 300-400 words, how might the individual(s) interpret their suffering in light of the Christian view of the fallen world and the hope of resurrection?
| The Christian worldview associates suffering with sin, highlighting the source of sin or fall, and tying to suffering, which in this case represents experiences such as living with an illness. Examining George’s case through this perspective, one would interpret his condition or health status as an experience that is part of the story that highlights how the first sin began. He ought to view living with the ALS as a symptom or a sign of the world that has fallen short of God’s expectations (Grove, Lovell, & Best, 2022).
Even as George comes to terms with the fact that his illness is one of the consequences of sin, he should be hopeful that suffering is only temporary, and that God, through Jesus, offers sinners and humans in general, the chance to resurrect even if they die. The concept of resurrection offers hope to Christians who identify with Jesus’ act of resurrecting. This hope has various implications in terms of how Christians view sickness or any other form of suffering. It compels Christians to view suffering as an impermanent experience because God will make everything new, restoring the purpose for which he created the world (Grove et al. 2022). This implies that resurrection will bring a new life in which people will not have to be worried about dying, ailing or experiencing any other form of suffering. However, this only applies to the good doers, or those who follow Christ. As he struggles with ALS and even grapples with the reality of deterioration of his health, George would find solace in the hope of resurrection, and in the idea that suffering is temporary. Rather than focus on his illness, he should engage in activities that bring him closer to God. This would entail communicating to God through prayer, and living by the biblical principles. This would help sustain his hope of overcoming the suffering linked to ALS. |
Based on the case and topic Resources, in 300-400 words, as the individual(s) must contemplate life with their dilemma, how would the Christian worldview inform their view about the value of life as a person?
| Based on the George’s case stud, he seems to be facing dilemma considering that he is conflicted between living with ALS and considering physician-assisted suicide. In order to comes to terms with his condition, and accept to live with it, George needs to consider the biblical doctrines and concepts that emphasize the value of life.
The concept of Imago Dei is specifically significant in George’s case because it highlights Human-God relationship, emphasizing the likeness between God and human. This likeness takes various forms including the moral status and worth of every human being. Considering this concept, George would respect the sacredness of life, which applies irrespective of his health status (Clarke, 2023). Interpreting the worthiness of life through this perspective would allow George to view the greater purpose of life. Informed by the Christian worldview, George would act in a way that shows he respects God-given life. He would view the idea of deliberately terminating his life on the ground that he suffers from ALS, a sin. Considering the principles and concepts of the Christian worldview, it is imperative that George recognizes and respects the worth and sacredness of his life, and treat it with integrity (Clarke, 2023). To cope with his illness, he should find emotional and physiological support, recognizing that this support is the key to achieving emotional and psychological wellness. As he contemplates about the value of life, George would focus on understanding the significance of the Imago Dei concept. The idea that God made man in his own image reflects human inherent capabilities. For humans, being created in God’s image gives them certain abilities including the ability to develop new interventions against difficult diseases like ALS. This idea would also add to George’s hope, helping him see the essence of continue living with ALS. Recognizing human capabilities also means that he will abandon euthanasia as an option of addressing pain and other symptoms of ALS (Clarke, 2023). |
Based on the case and topic Resources, in 300-400 words, how does the concept of suffering in a Christian worldview inform their deliberations about the choices they will make?
| The Christian worldview would also shape George’s understanding of suffering even as he recognizes the value of life. He would specifically draw lessons from various biblical passages, and stories including the story of Job. Job’s persistent hope amidst suffering including the eventual restoration of the wealth and the family he lost, would be a crucial lesson for George. The key message in this scenario is that suffering is more than a hardship because it demonstrates God’s honesty, faithfulness and commitment to restore one’s health (Guzowski et al., 2024). Jesus’ experience in which he died and resurrected, would also offer hope that people suffer for a reason.
The concept of redemption intertwines with suffering in the sense that Christ’s death and resurrection, put humans on a new path of experiencing eternal life. From a spiritual standpoint, suffering is significant in the sense that it provides an opportunity for one to reflect on their relationship with God, and to go back to a path in which they connect with God. George’s illness seems to pose moral dilemma because he faces problem in terms of how to handle his ALS situation. He is considering the option of undergoing euthanasia, yet this intervention contradicts the Christian worldview which recognizes the sanctity of human life (Guzowski et al., 2024). George would also learn important lessons regarding the idea of faith including how it relates to human suffering. While suffering is temporary, faith is critical in overcoming an illness or any other difficult experience. Faith in this case means recognizing God’s sovereign power including the power over disease, death and illnesses. As he struggles with the reality of suffering unto his death, George should continue having faith in God, believing in God’s healing power (Guzowski et al., 2024). The hope of recovering would strengthen George’s will to live, and help address his emotional burden which is tied to his illness. |
Based on the case and topic Resources, in 150-200 words, how would you be able to come alongside and demonstrate empathy for the individual(s) as you support and care for them? Reflect on your actions and their consequences.
| Demonstrating empathy for George is crucial in the sense that it helps improve his level of satisfaction, and prepares him to emotionally deal with ALS. Part of the approach for demonstrating sympathy is listening to any concern he might have concerning his condition. This makes him to feel comfortable to share his experiences, and to openly speak about his fears about the disorder. This approach is grounded in love which is one of the concepts of the Christian worldview.
Assisting George to be in a comfortable position in which he shares his thoughts is the first step in supporting him to explore other options beside euthanasia (Iltis, 2022). Incorporating aspects of his views into the healthcare plan is also critical because this shows that his decisions are respected. Involving George’s family, friends or any other person that is close to him in his care is the other way of demonstrating empathy. These individuals provide social support system for him which is essential for coping. |
Based on the case and topic Resources, in 150-200 words, how can you demonstrate respect for the perspectives of the individual(s) that may be different from your personal and professional values? Consider your conscious and unconscious biases in relationship to human rights in health care practice. Reflect on your actions and their consequences.
| To demonstrate that one respects the beliefs and views of others, one needs to actively listen to others’ views even if they conflict with their personal beliefs. Still, one has to express commitment towards discarding biases they associate with individuals based on their cultural, racial or sexual orientation (Picón-Jaimes et al., 2022). In George’s case, for instance, it is wrong to assume that it is weakness for a man to complain of pain. With this kind of bias, one may misjudge the seriousness of the patient’s pain.
To demonstrate respect for the views of a patient that holds divergent views, I would educate myself about their cultural practices and beliefs, incorporating them into the healthcare plan. If a patient is a Muslim, for instance, I would allocate time for prayer sessions. In addition, I would support the patient, facilitating the decision-making process, ensuring that they make decisions that align with their values and beliefs. |
Based on the case, topic Resources, and on your worldview, in 150-200 words, what decision would you make if you were in their situation?
| In case I find myself in a situation similar to George’s case, I would opt for living with the ALS as opposed to choosing euthanasia. While I understand that euthanasia can help solve the pain and the negative experience involved in living with ALS, it contradicts my personal worldview especially when it comes to how I view life, illness and death. I understand that life is sacred, and death should be a natural process.
The idea that facilitating the process of dying is a sin would be a compelling reason for me to consider palliative care as an intervention for managing the adverse clinical manifestations linked to ALS. My decision in this case is based on the idea that suffering is a temporary experience, and that even if one suffers, there is still hope for resurrection and the redemption of sins (Picón-Jaimes et al., 2022). This personal worldview would inform my decisions as I think about how to live with the disease. |
References
Clarke, S. (2023). The sanctity of life as a sacred value. Bioethics, 37(1), 32–39. https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.13094.
Grove, G., Lovell, M., & Best, M. (2022). Perspectives of Major World Religions regarding Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: A Comparative Analysis. Journal of religion and health, 61(6), 4758–4782. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-022-01498-5.
Guzowski, A., Fiłon, J., & Krajewska-Kułak, E. (2024). Strength of Religious Faith and Attitude Towards Euthanasia Among Medical Professionals and Opinion Makers. Journal of religion and health, 63(2), 1075–1090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01860-1.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01860-1.
Iltis, A. (2022). (Re)-Emerging Challenges in Christian Bioethics: Leading Voices in Christian Bioethics. Christian bioethics, 28(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1093/cb/cbab017.
Picón-Jaimes, Y. A., Lozada-Martinez, I. D., Orozco-Chinome, J. E., Montaña-Gómez, L. M., Bolaño-Romero, M. P., Moscote-Salazar, L. R., Janjua, T., & Rahman, S. (2022). Euthanasia and assisted suicide: An in-depth review of relevant historical aspects. Annals of medicine and surgery (2012), 75, 103380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amsu.2022.103380.
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