Health system policy #2 - Essay Example

The theoretical foundation and historical background of the DNR concept will be taken up and an attempt will be made to tell what influences can impact the achievement of policy goals, as well as the changes that will be needed to engage stakeholders to improve effectiveness of the policy. Finally, the implication of this generic policy to the Saudi Arabian environment will be explored Euthanasia ("good death") is an intentional termination of life of a person by another at the explicit person who wishes to die.

It is a "mercy killing" of an incurably ill person out of compassion. Active euthanasia is considered murder or manslaughter in most jurisdictions, while passive euthanasia, of which a DNR process is one, is accepted by professional medical societies and is legal under certain circumstances. A DNR order is a notation placed on a patient’s chart which states that if the patient should undergo respiratory or heart failure, no efforts should be made to resuscitate that individual. In passive euthanasia a persons death is hastened by altering some form of support and letting nature take its course without medical intervention such as turning off respirators, stopping medications, or discontinuing feeding of food and water.

It can also include giving the patient massive doses of morphine in order to relieve pain while hastening death, a practice that also considered ethical by medical societies (Euthanasia). It must be emphasized that a DNR order is generally considered a form of passive euthanasia. This is distinguished from active euthanasia - whereby a health care provider takes a deliberate action that will induce death, such as administering morphine, insulin or barbiturates, followed by an injection of curare (DNR reports) The DNR (Do-Not-Resuscitate) or DNAR (Do-No Attempt-Resuscitation) policy is