Article Analysis Essay on A Drug That Wakes the Near Dead

Introduction

I will first summarize the article, then provide an assessment of Chris's situation from three ethical perspectives i.e. Utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, and virtue ethics perspectives. After the evaluation, I will give my own opinion regarding the ethical issues surrounding the treatment of Chris. In my opinion, the principles of basic ethics are general criteria that serve as the basis for the rules of action within nursing practice. Different scenarios present decision making difficulty especially considering that not all outcomes can be accurately expected such as the case of Chris's parents having to choose whether to end life or "pull the plug" as the author puts it. It's a fact that we are living a particular moment in history characterized by the evolution of knowledge and culture, meaning that decisions should be guided by one's personal ethics (Friesen-Storms, Bours, Weijden & Beurskens, 2015).

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Article Summary

The article presents a descriptive scenario of a family's experience with their minimally conscious 26-year-old son, Chris. Chris had been in an A.T.V. accident which made him abuse Oxycontin for his debilitating back pain. As the author puts it, Chris was in so much pain that physical therapy proved ineffective.

Chris suffered severe brain damage after collapsing and failing to breathe for over 30 minutes. Although the paramedics were able to stabilize him, he was still at risk since after a patient stops breathing cutting down oxygen supply, the brain cells begin to die off five minutes later. The doctor explained that the situation could later worsen as the patient would have several heart attacks at night. The only available solutions as the doctor explained were "pulling the plug" or constant revival of Chris's heart through electricity shocks or cracking his ribs. The parents declined to sign off on pulling the plug.

Although Chris woke up from the coma after four days, he still couldn't talk. To help their son, Chris's parents used Ambien, a sleeping aid drug that had the ability to cause a reverse effect of awakening the patient. Its generic twin, zolpidem has precedential success in the past after it awoke a South African patient, Louis Viljoen, from a vegetative state to consciousness. The drug, however, was fluid in its impact as it did not always work on all patients, thereby lacking empirical evidence as to its effectiveness. Doctors are not ethically allowed to administer a drug without accurate prognosis which is a challenge for most patients like Chris hence the failure to recommend the treatment. However, most people assume the doctor has no goodwill and seek the drug. Although the drug has been working on Chris, there's still no certainty as to the final outcome.

Critical Evaluation of the Chris Situation From Various Ethical Positions

Kantian Ethics

Kantian ethics ascribe to the view that the goodness or acceptability of action is subject to its compatibility with the moral law. The principle of autonomy can be interpreted as the sanitary transcription of the Kantian categorical imperative: man is an end in itself (Wood & Allen 30). This means that people should be naturally bound to respect others choices just as they would like to have their own free will. Autonomy is understood as the respect that every person deserves both for being autonomous and for being protected when the decision capacity is diminished or not. This implies the right to information and to make decisions about their person. Respecting autonomy means both giving value to the considerations of autonomous people and favoring situations in which these people express their opinions and take them into account when they can no longer exercise their capacity for self-determination. On the perspective of Kantian ethics, the doctor was wrong in recommending "pulling the plug" as it's improbable that he would naturally make that choice himself. Kantian ethics which guides Christianity argues that only God has the power to end a life, a perspective I agree on. Ending a life when there is a possibility of saving it is against the contemporary moral law.

Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory related to the correction and obligatory nature of actions. The moral correction of an act is determined by the utility or value of its consequences. Utilitarianism then becomes a moral theory according to which the goodness or badness of an action depends, not on the quality that the act has in itself, but on its consequences subjected to a global assessment (Mill & Stuart 352). For this reason, utilitarianism is considered a relevant form of consequentialism, or more accurately, utilitarian consequentialism. That is to say, among the possible actions that we can carry out, we must choose the one that generates the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. As seen in Chris's situation, the doctor considers the medical situation and advice the parents from his perspective on what action would have more utility. In his experience, he is right to recommend pulling the plug since it would put an end to irreversible condition with no certainty of getting better. The parents, however, deem that the best action that would make them happier would be to hope the son gets better, rightfully so. In my opinion, the choice of action should be left to the parents since they are the ones to experience the consequences. By choosing to give miracle and hope a chance, they are happy. In this sense, utilitarianism serves more utility to the patient, his parents, and friends.

Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics dictate how human beings ought to act within the confines of good morals. Before anything else, patients regardless of whatever condition must be considered human, from the theoretical virtue ethics point of view, so that they can demonstrate in practice and with their behavior, the application of ethical principles, norms, and values (Haidt, Jonathan & Craig 57). Self-beliefs, values, and attitudes support the medical profession in the provision of care, from the human and ethical point of view. Virtues extend to all professional spheres and people and should guide their actions within the framework of moral conduct. One must seek the greater good of the other, such as looking out for Chris's possibility of wellbeing by the doctor. In this regard, ethical practice dictates advocating for actions that aim to improve patient health. In my opinion, "Pulling the plug" contradicts the basic principle of good moral conduct.

Conclusion

The principles of basic ethics are general criteria that serve as the basis for the rules of action of a social or professional group. Throughout history, the essence of them has remained as they adapted to the new realities. We must not forget the fact that we are living a particular moment in history characterized by the evolution of knowledge and culture. The promotion of euthanasia, so intense in some areas, is usually based on the consideration of very specific border situations. It is necessary to demarcate what can be the analysis of specific cases, of what must be an inalienable principle: nobody has the right to provoke the death of a seriously ill person, neither by action nor by omission. A society that accepts the termination of the lives of some people, due to the precariousness of their health and the actions of third parties, inflicts on themselves the offense that is considered unworthy of the lives of some sick or severely disabled people. We praise the passion for life that leads to so many people deprived of health, unable to take full advantage of themselves, to fight to move forward. We should strive for a breakthrough in science that promotes more and better treatments that could reach people who today are sick and without certain possible cure such as Chris.

Works Cited

Donaldson, Chase M. "Using Kantian ethics in medical ethics education." Medical Science Educator 27.4 (2017): 841-845.

Haidt, Jonathan, and Craig Joseph. "Intuitive ethics: How innately prepared intuitions generate culturally variable virtues." Daedalus 133.4 (2004): 55-66.

Jeneen Interlandi. "A Drug That Wakes the Near Dead". New York Times, 2011.

Mill, John Stuart. "Utilitarianism." Seven masterpieces of philosophy. Routledge, 2016. 337-383.

Wood, Allen. "The final form of Kant's practical philosophy." Immanuel Kant. Routledge, 2017. 27-47.