Oregon Death with Dignity Act

Oregon Death with Dignity Act

NUR3826 Ethical and Legal Aspects of Nursing

Week 4 discussion

DQ1

Read the attached ethical situations. Choose one of the case study scenarios and answer the questions that follow it (Autonomy, Euthanasia, Oregon Death with Dignity Act, Assisted Reproduction, Universal Health Care, and Bioterrorism). Consider the nurses role, legal considerations, and the ethical principles involved.

DQ2

Choose the health care setting that most closely correlates with your own place of practice or one you desire to work in.

1. Acute Care Setting

2. Ambulatory and Managed Care Setting

3. Public and Community Health Setting

4. Long-Term Care Setting

5. Research

6. Education

Describe the legal and ethical issues that can arise in your chosen setting and reflect on what you have learned in this course to assist you in your practice.

Oregon
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Current Status

The  has been in effect since October 27, 1997. It has worked as intended and without flaws or any evidence of abuse or coercion.

Learn how the works ›
2019 Legislative Session

In the 2019 legislative session, the Oregon legislature approved and Governor Brown on July 23, 2019 signed a bill that eliminates the 15-day waiting period between oral requests for patients who are fewer than 15 days from death. The law goes into effect on January 1, 2020. Learn more about SB 579 ›

Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act has helped to improve end-of-life health care for thousands of Oregonians. We are proud Oregon leads the way in palliative care, hospice care and in providing peace of mind for the terminally ill.
—U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon)

The Oregon Health Authority monitors and enforces compliance with the Act and each February produces an annual report.

Read Oregon Death with Dignity Act Reports ›
History

Oregon voters approved the Death with Dignity Act at the ballot in 1994. In 1997, Oregonians reiterated their support when they defeated a ballot measure aiming to repeal the law. The Act went into into effect shortly thereafter, and implementation began in 1998. Over the 18 years since the law took effect, the State of Oregon reports over 1,500 terminally ill patients have received prescriptions for aid in dying medication, and just under 1,000 used that medication to hasten their deaths.

The Act has withstood multiple attempts to nullify it, both legislatively, in the Oregon legislature and the US Congress, and in federal courts. In 2006, US Supreme Court ruled that Oregon physicians can prescribe life-ending medication under the Act.

Read the complete history of Oregon’s Law ›
Resources and Additional Information
About the Statute and Its Implementation

Full text of the
Annual reports on the usage of the Act (our visual summary of the 2015 and 2016 reports)
Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division – provides information about the statute, offers request and compliance forms

Resources for Patients

How to access the Oregon Death with Dignity Act
End of Life Choices Oregon – a nonprofit organization which helps patients navigate the request process of the Oregon Death with Dignity Act.
Form for patients – Request for Medication to End My Life in a Peaceful and Dignified Manner

Resources for Healthcare Providers

Forms for healthcare providers
Attending physician’s compliance form
Attending physician follow-up form
Consulting physician’s compliance form
Psychiatric/psychological consultant’s compliance form
Pharmacy dispensing record