Please answer original forum with a minimum of 400 words Respond to both students o separate pages with a minimum of 200 words each page1 Original Forum with References page2- Victoria Response page 3- Stacey Response Medical care with dignity can be a challenging topic and one that you may not have thought much about until now. Death with dignity is also starting to become a topic of debate within pediatric settings. At what point do patients (and parents) have the right to terminate treatment and focus on quality of life for their time remaining? At what point in medical care to we advocate for what is most important to the patient, which for some may be continued treatment, or for others may be ending painful suffering? There is no right or wrong answer here, but what are your thoughts on dignity within medical care, and what does that look like to you within a pediatric setting? Student Responses Victoria Anticipatory grief, grief that occurs in a medical setting, has a benefit that regular grief does not have (HDFS403 Lesson 5, n.d.). It allows family, friend and the person who may be ill to prepare for death and grief in the near future instead of a all of a sudden death. Reading Hannahs gift gave me an insight on death in a pediatric setting that was one I thought I would never have, children should be told the truth even if the truth is hurtful or hard to accept. When I hear dying with dignity I think of an elderly person making the choice over their lives no matter what the family wants or feels. They determine when they have had enough or if they want to continue to fight through the pain and suffering until their bodies give out. However, I feel that with children a lot of people, including myself, are not as accepting to that concept with them dying with dignity and deciding on their life. We naturally want to fight a little harder for children and help them survive no matter how much pain and suffering it may cause them, which is a selfish way of thinking. This class has opened my eyes and mind to consider that children are able and should be able to
make the decisions on their lives and long as they understand what they are doing. I think when all life saving options have be exhausted any person, no matter age, should have their thoughts and wishes granted. It should be granted as long as their understanding is clear, and they have been explained the outcome of their decisions. If the child is not able to understand then I feel the parents should make the best decision for their child. If that decision is to continue treatment or discontinue treatment, the medical staff should respect their decisions. If the parents are making decisions that are not fully throughout or in the best interest for the child, then the medical staff can make suggestions on behalf of the child. Personally, I think it really depends on the situation. Some parents are under a great deal of stress when their child is sick and dying so they may not make the best choice because of the trauma they are undergoing with the fact their child is dying or very sick. Some parents may refuse to let go and have their child suffer through although there is no cure or come back from their illness. While other parents may just give up a little to soon to hurry up and end the pain and suffering their child is going through. Either situation can be looked at in a negative and positive way but nevertheless decisions must be made for the best interest of the patient not the family. References HDFS403 Lesson 5. Grief in The Context of Anticipated Loss & Child and Life-Threatening Illness. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://apus.realizeithome.com/RealizeitApp/ContentDelivery.aspx?Token=dxbaGdzSRx%2bEb8%2ftwgSDTBlXasrHrFvjpSsQ5Y11ZAWuBLSmUrdXWs1ag4PFYB9%2fvdh8EP12eZ3qSnoKSusAGd3MFtAzXA1OmBpN87zMaXKt3mkWA1DGqKTJWT2XcZ4xhWhi1W%2bcUHGdgZpszlUNF7dtMeB3qcdxN%2bWxiaBxZuCNWojzme0sAQFSZZOptm4pudiw7%2fXxu2FULJeFJE3zHGmCkyc76CNkt6KJChf1V5MuZJ806gGMzjrwdZotjACqCDjsoSgH1CnhtT0yLnuRxvs2n9Ou8L1aElkE4ywJzGp2Uu1x%2fU40xpBeVvGmzzjwBb9%2bVILJHw7UNeCW4mVA5aMBt%2fLqQIdkuYSVj4UEIGdIX4WuM3kuWJDWfgSW8xdLCP%2bI5x2pswyPkJcng2B1YVnulWzpyweBWTiHhVWtc12qbm4SFav9ABe9tRBGbpC%2bdAi%2bOnf4IWt7VDEpc2NghA%3d%3d