The movie tells the story of Dax Cowart, who was a victim of pipeline explosion at the age of 25. The case of Dax highlights major points in healthcare in case of emergency situations, such as what he experienced. It was a tragic experience for Dax, as the injury that he got was something that made him decide to end his life through the help of his doctors. The physical pain that he suffered was described to be at the highest level during the time of his treatment at the hospital. The first major point of the movie was when the doctor needed to act urgently on Dax’s case without informing him of the procedures that the doctors will be doing. This is related to medical ethics, to which doctors must preserve the patient autonomy at all times. However, it was a totally different case for Dax. Due to the urgency of the case, he was not informed about what will be done onto him in the first place. Both his mother and the doctor acted paternalistic as if Dax was unable to decide for himself during that time. Clearly, there has been a question about how the treatment procedures were done and why his right to informed consent was violated.
Furthermore, another major point was presented in the movie, which was Dax’s intense desire to end his life. It could be understandable that the intolerable pain made him think to choose death rather than suffer the extended physical pain that he was suffering from. There were several instances that he wanted to end his life. First was when he asked the farmer for a shotgun so he can kill himself. Then, He also asked the ambulance not to take him to the hospital, but to let him die from where he was, and the third was when he asked the nurse to administer a medication that will kill him. It was a clear indication that he was asking to end up the pain even if it takes his own life. This major point denotes the issue of euthanasia or the physician-assisted suicide. However, due to his condition, his mother and his doctors were able to assess his mental condition showing that he was not able to decide for himself during that time. Neither his mother, nor his doctors would listen to Dax’s death pleas. It was later on that he revealed the reasons that he wanted to die. One is that the extended treatment process was unbearable and on the other, he realized that even if he recovered from this process, he will still lose the essence of being person due to his physical condition.
Patient autonomy is an important factor in healthcare, to which patients have the right what doctors, can and cannot do to the patient’s body. Thus, the autonomy of patients is the central value in medical ethics (Varelius, 377). However, it was clearly violated based on Dax’s case. Moreover, autonomy is somewhat related to his death wish due to the pain that he was suffering from. The principle of patient autonomy also pertains to not treating the patient without an informed consent from the patient. Unfortunately, the life and death situation of Dax may have influenced the doctors to act according to what they think was right for him. Generally, Dax’s case was a conflicting event between the significance of patient autonomy’s principle and the ethical decision-making about the application of physician-assisted suicide on patients that suffered tremendous pain, such Dax Cowart. The usual paternalistic acts of doctors and patients always having a complete autonomy both provides danger. One is that the doctors may decide not to administer or apply the necessary medication in the event that they could have lessen the suffering of patients and on the other, patients who have a complete autonomy may opt not to accept treatment procedures, which might put his life in danger. Both have implications to one another. Which is why, it is essential that there has to be a balance between a voluntary consent and informed consent as well as the need for open communication between the patient and the doctor. Apart from Dax’s case, the issue in patient autonomy could always happen to anyone. However, the movie serves as an opportunity to evaluate what should have been done better.
Works Cited
Varelius, Jukka. "The value of autonomy in medical ethics." Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 9.3 (2006): 377-388. Print.
