The act of deliberately ending a person's life to relieve suffering is called?

JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018

Forensic Nursing & Indian laws

Easy

Appeared in: JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018

Explanation

Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering, often called 'mercy killing'.
The term originates from the Greek words 'eu' (good) and 'thanatos' (death), literally meaning 'good death'.
The core components of the definition—an action by another person to deliberately end a life for compassionate reasons—directly match the term euthanasia.
It is distinct from suicide, where the act is self-inflicted, and from legal concepts like tort and libel.

Option A: A tort is a civil wrong that causes harm to another person, leading to legal liability. It is a legal concept and does not involve the intentional ending of a life.
Option B: Libel is the act of publishing a false written statement that is damaging to a person's reputation. It is a form of defamation and is completely unrelated to medical ethics or end-of-life care.
Option D: Suicide is the act of intentionally taking one's own life. The question describes ending a 'person's' life, implying the action is carried out by someone else.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Legal and ethical principles in nursing practice as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses have a critical ethical and legal duty to preserve life and provide comfort. They must not participate in active euthanasia, as it violates nursing codes of ethics and the law.
In India, passive euthanasia is legally permissible under strict guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court, typically involving patients in a permanent vegetative state. Nurses must be aware of their institution's policies and the legal framework.
A nurse's primary role in end-of-life care is to provide excellent palliative care, including pain and symptom management, to ensure the patient's comfort and dignity.

How to Approach the Question

This is a definition-based recall question.
First, carefully read the definition provided in the question stem: 'The act of deliberately ending a person's life to relieve suffering.'
Identify the key components: 1) an action is taken, 2) it's deliberate, 3) it ends a life, and 4) the motive is to relieve suffering.
Evaluate each option against this definition.
Eliminate options from unrelated fields. 'Tort' and 'Libel' are legal terms for civil wrongs and defamation, respectively, and do not fit the context of ending a life.
Differentiate between the remaining, more relevant options. 'Suicide' is ending one's own life. The question implies the act is done to 'a person' by another, which points away from suicide.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Q9jldLcstHREpk7k2k-sFD

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 955-957

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 2716-2718