Ethics and Morals in Nursing Care

Today in our health assessment class, we discussed the ethics and morals of standard nursing care and how we need to care for our patients in regards to them. Several times throughout the lecture, I felt my eyes welling up with tears as I could relate to some of the topics we were discussing. One of the major issues discussed was suicide as well as physician assisted suicide. A classmate brought up the question of whether or not someone should go to heaven or hell if they chose to end their own life. This hit close to home as my own grandmother committed suicide.

When my mom was 16 years old, my grandma decided to take her own life, privately and shockingly. She had recently been put on numerous anti-depressant medications that my grandpa would later find out, were wrongly prescribed and were not doing their job. She began to feel very inadequate as both a mother and a wife, and in her mind, thought she was doing the best thing to end her life. No one in her family saw it coming, as well as her friends. She was active in her church, which brings up another controversial issue. As part of the catholic church, my grandma's beliefs included the following regarding suicide:

• "Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of."
• "Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God."
• "If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal."
• "Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law."
• "Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide."
• "We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives.
• By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance.
• The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."

After everything my grandma had done for her church, they offered no support to her family after her death and refused to take any part in her funeral arrangements because of they way she had died. I believe this is why my mom and uncle may have steered away from church in general.

Despite everything, I do not agree with the generalization that people who take their own life will go to hell. There are many instances in my own beliefs where I think people are hurt and confused and do not know any better. Suicide is never something that anyone is happy about doing or thinks about to hurt someone else. It's often a quick and rash decision that is indicative of that person's chronic pain, often emotionally. My grandma overdosed on oral pills and it was believed that she may have taken the pills at one time, and then regretted her action soon after, but she was too secluded to get help or do anything about it.

There are so many different circumstances and reasons for why people choose to do things. I think it is important for us as Christian Nurses to remember this and not stereotype people or generalize situations. Also remember that your beliefs are not the same as someone else's and if you do believe that someone who commits suicide will inevitably go to hell, be cautious of how and where you say that. Someone else may be listening who will take great offense to that.