Blog Post #2 – Inquiry Project – Project Plan

In case you have not read my previous blog post, my inquiry question is: why do people choose/use Medical Assistance in Dying?

The Three Steps of My Research

1. The first step of my research will be dedicated to looking at the different chemicals mixed together to create a substance strong enough to put someone to sleep forever. I would like to read and write about each type of chemical, what happens when they are combined, and the proper way/technique to inject it into a patient’s body to make their heartbeat slow down and stop. I would also like to know what happens after that. Do the chemical(s) put the patient to sleep first, or are they given a sleeping pill so they fall asleep beforehand? What are the chemicals called, and what are they used for specifically? Lastly, how are the drugs given to the patient? Is it injected into their veins, or are they medicine pills that are fed to the patient? I am very curious about all this and I will try my best to answer these questions.
2. For the second step of my research, I will be researching the specific reasons patients choose to use Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). Do they actually want to end life this way, or are they pressured to use it by someone in their life? I also want to discover what goes on in a patient’s mind when selecting a date for their death. Would they choose a holiday like Christmas or their birthday, or just a normal day like any other? At this point, I may also talk about what I think would happen if MAiD wasn’t legal. I am sure many terminally ill patients would have to suffer terribly as they continue to be ill and nauseous every single day, but there must be more to this thought and I will look into it in the future.
3. The third step of my research is to find out the whole process of the operation. What type of paperwork needs to be filled out before and after the death? Are close family members allowed to stay by their side, holding their hand, while they pass away? The advanced preparations that are required for Medical Assistance in Dying fascinates me and makes me wonder what would happen if no were no preparation for this at all. Would the chemicals react the same way? Next, what are the requirements for using MAiD? I highly doubt the doctors would inject a fatal chemical into a rather healthy person’s body just because they don’t like their life and want to end sit quickly. This is the kind of information I want to research for my project.

All the above information relates to my topic because in order to answer it, there are so many aspects that I should look into to teach the readers about Medical Assistance in Dying. I tried to think about all the possible questions/thoughts I can look into while working on my project, and I split them into three parts so I have a clear idea of what I should write about in the next three blog posts. Hopefully, I will be able to answer all of my burning questions as my project continues to progress. From the chemicals to the mind of a patient to the entire process, they are relate to my inquiry question in one way or another.

Here are some sources I found to help me with my research:

1. https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/hp/maid/if-hp-maid-self-assessment-tool.pdf
2. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/home-community-care/care-options-and-cost/end-of-life-care/medical-assistance-in-dying
3. http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/health-info/coping-with-cancer/medical-assistance-in-dying
4. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/medical-assistance-dying.html
5. https://camapcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/IV-protocol-final.pdf

How will my inquiry question have implications to other individuals and/or my community? 

I feel like by the end of my project this semester, everyone who has followed me throughout my journey will be able to learn all about the wonders of Medical Assistance in Dying. It could teach others all they need to know about it, and give them an idea of something they could suggest to people in their life who may need it in the future. MAiD is an amazing way to pass away in my opinion. It doesn’t involve any pain and many people prefer to die peacefully in their bed rather than be full of pain and die in the hospital or on the way there. I hope everyone who reads this post and my future posts will have learned something by the end of the semester. My topic is very interesting and hopefully you think so too.

Thanks for reading!