Originally Posted by
Eric B 125
http:///forum/post/2971687
i am in school to be a nurse, and right now i am a flight medic for the record. here's the rub: patient is in chronic pain, wants to end their life because they hurt so bad, so often. in order to alleviate pain, doctor x writes a script for oxycontin hoping to restore quality of life. that person could very well go home, take the entire script and o.d. though, that's not what the doctor had intended, if someone wants to die badly enough, they'll find a way (see: sylvia plath). on a side note, the role of physicians in stopping pain and suffering is not without it's limits. there are millions of people addicted to opiate medicines (percocet, vicodin, oxycontin, morphine) and that in and of itself IS pain and suffering.
Doctor, this is by no means an attack at you, just a response. i certainly respect your opinion and your profession. you are in the business of saving lives, not taking them away, and that is a beautiful thing.
I fight the war against addiction every day. People want their narcs, and are willing to lie cheat and steal. I try to limit my Rx's through the ED as we should not be drive up refill depots for narcs. The PCP's/ pain managment folks should control the drugs. SOme people require long term high dose narcotics ( Cancer, etc). Some use them for a crutch. As to what people do with their Rx, that is up to them. Some sell them, some OD on them either acciendtly or intentionally. I cannot controll that. I can control when I prescribe, and I ty to use my head and all availible information I can get to make a good medical decision. I've ticked off my share of narcotic seekers in my carrer by not giving them what they wanted. It is the physicians right to prescribe what they want, I just think as a profession, (without a God complex) we should hold ourselves to only trying to save or improve life as much as we can, not intentionally taking it by giving medications or inventing machines of death.
Like I said, I gave the OK to remove my father from life support. I made sure his pain and suffering were controlled, but at no time was he given lethal doses of medications. Nature took its course and without total life support, dad died.
He died naturally and with grace, dignity, and comfort. He died with his family at his side. Who would not want that for their loved one or patient. There is what I want for me.
BTW, I'm a Flight Physician with the local Life Flight.
