Death and Dying

• what is clinical death

  cessation of heart and lung activity
• what is biological death

  death of cells, tissues, and organs

  irreversible
• Vernon's civil statues


  irreversible cessation of spontaneous respiration and cardiac activity
• Harvard group


  flat EEG x2 in a 24 hour period
• total brain death


  higher cortical areas and brain stem have no activity
• living wills if...


  i am found to have an irreversible, non-curable condition
• living wills

  • self-directive with instructions concerning acceptable measures to sustain/prolong life
  • lets family members and doctors know your wishes
• durable power of attorney 


  gives the ability to decide to someone else; legal documents (notary, witness)
• durable power of attorney- health care 


  appoints designated individual to make important healthcare decisions when you cannot
• durable power of attorney- financial 


  contorl over financial matters: bank accounts, property, etc.
• DNARs


  do not attempt to resuscitation
• DNR 


  do not resuscitate
• DNArs/ DNRs order


  MDs order to not resuscitate

  CPR is the only 'medical procedure' you have to have a doctors order not to initiate
• Euthanasia 


  Eu- good, well, true

  Thanatos- death
• living wills do what 


  state a persons wishes
• whats active euthanasia 


  doing something to deliberately bring about death
• whats passive euthanasia 


  allowing death to occur
• passive euthanasia example

  • removing life supporting machines
  • with holding treatments
• active euthanasia examples 


  injecting a lethal drug dose
• allowing death/ withholding treatment

  • no CPR
  • no advanced life support
  • not on a respirator
  • no feeding tubes
• with drawing support

  • when to stop resuscitation
  • 'pull the plug' on a respirator
• causing or hastening

  • assisted suicide
  • lethal injection
  • depressing respiratory drive
• who was 'Dr. Death'

  Dr. Jack Kevorkian
• what was dr. deaths solution (mixture)

  saline solution, sodium thiopental, potassium chloride
• whats the good samaritan law

  protects people when they help in an emergent situation, protecting them from civil liability if they cause harm.
• assisted suicide safeguards

  • diagnosis and prognosis must be confirmed by a physician
  • there is a waiting period before the prescription can be filled
  • doctor must confirm mental competency of patient
• what is death with dignity

  terminally ill patients who have 6 or fewer months to live, can request lethal medication from a physician.
• where is assisted suicide legal

  • oregon
  • hawaii
  • vermont
  • district of columbia
  • california
  • washington
  • colorado
  • new jersey
  • montana (via court decision)
• who was brittany maynard 


  women who had a terminal for of brain cancer who when through with the death with dignity law
• hospice 


  terminally ill patients- 6 months or less to live
• palliative care

  • relieving pain
  • team approach
  • if patient recovers, treatment can resume aggressively
• causes of death in infants (up to 1 year)

  • congenital abnormalities
  • premature/ low birth weight
  • maternal complications of pregnancy
• causes of death in childhood

  • accidents
  • congenital abnormalities
  • assault
• causes of death in adolescents

  • accidents
  • cancer
  • assault
  • suicide
• cause of death in young adults

  • accidents
  • suicide
  • assault
• causes of death in middle to old adults

  • accidents
  • cancer
  • heart disease
  • accidental injury
  • chronic respiratory illnesses
• causes of death over the age of 65

  • heart disease
  • cancer
  • chronic respiratory disease
  • cerebrovascular disease
  • alzheimers
• what influences children's views of death

  culture and experience
• Children's views of death- universality

  • age 3-5
  • it is inevitable, it happens to all living things
  • it maybe temporary and reversible
• Children's view of death- irreversibility

  • age 5-7
  • can't be undone