The family of a deceased patient tells the nurse that they believe the physician provided the patient with an overdose of pain medication in order to assist the patient to die. Which of the following needs to be determined in this situation?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Although suicide as a crime has been abolished in all states, most states still prohibit assisted suicide. Some states treat assisted suicide harshly while others prohibit only causing suicide and not assisting it. Therefore, it needs to be determined, according to the state, if the patient medication dose caused the patient's suicide or assisted it. The other three choices might need to be discussed at a later date; however the first step would be to determine what the state deems as suicide versus assisted suicide.

The Family of a Deceased Patient Tells the Nurse That