Case Study

     Ms. Woods is a recently graduated nurse practitioner. She works in the state of Oregon, in a small town. Ms. Woods works with the only physician in the town, while the other closest physician works forty-five minutes away. Ms. Woods cares for Mr. Delmar who is a sixty year old man, recently diagnosed with aggressive stage IV lung cancer. Mr. Delmar has a life expectancy less than six months. Mr. Delmar has put in his two verbal and one written request for a drug from the physician to be able to end his life and has also informed his next of kin about the decision to end his life (Lachman, 2010). However, with another physician working forty-five minutes away, Mr. Delmar has not reached out to get the needed signature of a second physician (Lachman, 2010). The physician that Ms. Woods is working under asks for her to step in and provide the opinion and signature needed for Mr. Delmar to receive the medication he is seeking. Ms. Woods is unsure of her role in the situation however, she respects the professionalism of the physician and trusts that the physician will not ask of her what is outside of her scope of practice. Ms. Woods also believes in the sanctity of beneficence and believes that the best thing for the patient is for them to be able to die with dignity. With this in mind, Ms. Woods proceeds on with the second opinion and brings forth the necessary documents needed to fulfill the request made by Mr. Delmar.