Do not resuscitate orders and their role in aiding suicide
Date
2024
Authors
Nyabuto, E. G.
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
As humans struggle between personal freedom and societal constraints, the influence of authority casts a shadow. We find ourselves trapped by the very systems we helped create. Even in matters of life and death, the struggle persists as laws seek to govern even the most intimate of choices. The focus of this paper is on end-of-life care, particularly on the contentious issue of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders in Kenya. Grounded in the philosophical principles of Kantian deontology, the research aims to dissect the ethical and legal implications of DNR orders within the framework of aiding suicide as outlined in Section 225 of the Kenyan Penal Code. Adopting a qualitative approach, this research uses a wide array of sources including legal literature, ethical studies, court decisions, and constitutional analyses. Concluding observations suggest that while DNRs are in use in Kenyan health facilities, unclear laws cloud medical professionals' confidence in fulfilling patients' wishes at the end of life. Recommendations include the need for policy re-evaluation and the development of explicit guidelines that reconcile personal autonomy with legal standards. Such action could protect medical practitioners from potential legal repercussions, while still respecting the dignity of patients at life’s end.
Description
Full - text undergarduate research project
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Citation
Nyabuto, E. G. (2024). Do not resuscitate orders and their role in aiding suicide [Strathmore University]. http://hdl.handle.net/11071/15787