Personal Narrative: End Of Life Decisions

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Part of being an excellent nurse is knowing your own ethics, values, and beliefs. I am very conflicted when it comes to end of life decisions. In my own life, I have had to deal with the passing of a loved ones and I always take it hard. My husband’s uncle recently passed away from complications due to cancer. At 64 he was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and chose to undergo treatment. It was hard to watch him struggle through treatment. Treatment took a toll on him as well as the family. Near the end, he was very sick and ended up hospitalized for about a month. They finally discharged him and two weeks later he passed away in his home. I will admit that I do not fully know the whole story but for me it was always hard to see him in pain and in a weakened state. Working on an oncology floor as a nursing assistant and having a personal experience with end of life decision making have made an influence on my own end of life decisions. …show more content…
If I were in a state where treatment was statistically unlikely to result in a cure I would choose to forgo treatment and spend my remaining time with my loved ones uncomplicated by rigorous treatment schedules. I have had the end of life conversation with my mother and husband and they tend to disagree with my plans. Their arguments typically entail me being young and that research will continue to advance as I age. They also wonder if my decision would change once I become a mother. I wonder the same thing but since I am not guaranteed children I can’t decide based on possibilities. With regards to cancer I have seen the toll treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy take on the mind and body and I would prefer to receive comfort measures instead. My past experiences have made an influence on my own end of life