The nurse administers additional intravenous medication to a hospice client with uncontrollable pain. After receiving the additional medication, the client demonstrates apneic periods and bradycardia

Question

Which of the following does this nurse's actions suggest?
1. Euthanasia
2. Assisted suicide
3. Double effect
4. Malpractice

Answer 1

3
The principle of double effect means that increasing the dose of medication to achieve pain control, even if death is hastened, is ethically justified. Euthanasia is the administration of medication to purposefully cause another's death. Assisted suicide is the practice of providing medication to a client with the intent that the client use the medication to voluntarily commit suicide. Malpractice is conducting some aspect of care that causes a client harm.