Discussion : End-of-Life Decisions

Prior to completing this discussion, please read the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct  and Fact Sheet on End-of-Life Care (2014), as well as the Block, et al. (2006), Kwak, & Haley (2005), and Torbic (2011) articles required for this week.

You are working at an area hospital dealing primarily with end-of-life decisions and palliative care. For this discussion, you will be reviewing the PSY605 End-of-Life Case Scenarios/courses

All end-of-life choices and medical decisions have complex psychosocial components, ramifications, and consequences that have a significant impact on suffering and the quality of living and dying.

The issues involved in this process of decision making are based on issues of developmental stage, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, health, family, and physical, cognitive, and psychosocial states.

For your initial post, you will apply concepts from developmental psychology to create your recommended courses of action for either Roger or Geri.

To begin, carefully review the PSY605 End-of-Life Case Scenarios/select one of the cases, then create a recommended course of action for the scenario selected by addressing the following questions:

• What is the best recommended course of action for the client at this time, and why?

• What potential effects would themes such as the client's culture, ethnicity, family, education, and gender have on the situation and recommendation(s)?

• How does the client's developmental stage factor into your recommendation?

• How do the client's physical, cognitive, and psychosocial states affect your recommendation(s)?

• How might the developmental stage(s) of the client's family member(s) affect your recommendation?

• How will you present your recommendation(s) to both the patient and family member(s)?

• What consideration(s) would affect your manner of presentation?

• Are there considerations that cannot be processed at this time because of lack of information in the written scenario?

Next, analyze and comment on the ethical considerations related to the scenario. Note how the APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct might provide guidance.

Remember to evaluate the unique scholarly perspectives presented in your reading to support your recommended course of action and analysis of ethical considerations.

In your responses, compare and contrast your own recommendations and the information leading to those recommendations with those of your classmates.

For each response, critically evaluate the information your classmate has provided by considering different points of view.

What specific information presented in your classmate's post requires clarification and elaboration? What assumption(s) has your classmate made about the scenarios and/or information provided?

Are there specific issues with the recommendations provided that could potentially be challenged? Explain.