| Policy:
Medical Assistance in Dying Villa Youville Incorporated |
Number
CA – 21 |
Adopted
NOVEMBER 2017 |
Revised |
- Reason
Manitoba Health is asking that institutions providing care submit their policy on medical assistance in dying to ensure that facilities comply with federal law and the provincial administrative framework.
2. Objective
Have a clear and precise policy on medical assistance in dying that meets both legal requirements and Villa Youville’s institutional values.
- Statement
Whereas:
- Canada has enacted a law that provides its citizens with access to medical assistance in dying under certain conditions;
- Manitoba has established a regulatory framework to deal with requests for medical assistance in dying;
- Villa Youville affirms that its residents are at home at the Villa;
- Villa Youville defines itself as a Catholic facility;
- Faith-based facilities may abstain from providing medical assistance in dying;
It is agreed that:
- Villa Youville intends to comply with the requirements of the Canadian legislation and the province’s regulatory framework, but as a faith-based facility;
- Villa Youville recognizes that its residents have the right to request medical assistance in dying and that it is required to inform them of the procedure to be followed;
- Villa Youville allows the consultation and evaluation step of the request for medical assistance in dying to be completed at its facility;
- Villa Youville will facilitate the transfer of a resident whose request has been approved to a facility or service that provides the medical procedure required to terminate life;
- Villa Youville will process requests for medical assistance in dying with the same level of professionalism provided for other medical procedures delivered by an external medical service.
4. Implementation procedure
4.1 The Villa Youville policy on medical assistance in dying will be posted on its website and summarized in its admission guidelines.
4.2 The management team will brief staff on the history, obligations and criteria surrounding the issue of medical assistance in dying.
4.3 The management team will give staff a presentation on Villa’s policy and the principles upon which this policy is based.
4.4 The management team will explain to staff the procedure to be followed and staff members’ role in this procedure.
4.5 The management team will emphasize that Villa Youville’s values must guide us at all times: hospitality, family spirit and kindness. Requests will be accepted without judgment or reproach and will be forwarded without delay to those responsible.
4.5 A copy of the policy and procedure will be included in the new employee orientation guide.
4.6 Requests for medical assistance in dying will be forwarded to the Director of Care (or the Chief Executive Officer in his/her absence) who will have prepared an accompanying form on which to record the nature, date and person in charge of each contact and intervention.
4.6 The Director of Care will meet as soon as possible with the resident who made the request in order to:
4.6.1 Understand the reason for the request;
4.6.2 Review the resident’s treatment plan;
4.6.3 Explain the criteria for obtaining medical assistance in dying;
4.6.4 Find out whether the resident wants to include his/her family.
4.7 If the resident still wants medical assistance in dying, and following consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, the Director of Care will contact the provincial team responsible for processing requests for medical assistance in dying. The Director of Care will explain the procedure to the resident.
4.8 The Director of Care will coordinate the provincial team’s medical visits. The resident will receive the medical team in his or her room.
4.9 If the request is approved, the Director of Care will arrange for the resident’s transfer to the appropriate facility to undergo the medical procedure that will end his/her life.
5.0 The Director of Care will organize a debriefing session to review the procedure, recommend corrections and examine the appropriateness and quality of our palliative care. The debriefing session will also assess the needs of those affected by the experience and, if applicable, plan the required follow-up.