LGS 241 - Legal Issues of Death, Dying and Organ Transplantation

2 credit hours - Two hours weekly; one term.
Study and application of law related to death, dying and organ transplantation. Focus on the legal definition of death; competency; decision making regarding life-sustaining treatment; suicide; self-determination and procurement and allocation of organs. Study the judicial process relating to patient and proxy decision making and prepare living wills and durable health care powers of attorney. Lab fee $5.

Course Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

Define death from a legal and medical perspective.
Apply the law and analyze a patient’s legal capacity and competency.
Describe the rights of competent adults deciding to forego life sustaining procedures.
Describe the rights of incompetent and formerly competent adults in deciding to forego life sustaining procedures.
Describe the right to forego life sustaining procedures in relation to children.
Analyze the impact of religion on the right to forego life sustaining treatment.
Prepare living wills, advance directives and durable health care powers of attorney.
Chart the role of the court and the judicial process in actions relating to the refusal to undergo life sustaining procedures.
Analyze factual scenarios and apply the law relating to health care providers’ criminal and civil liability for following or failing to follow a patient’s decision to refuse life sustaining treatment.
Explain the legality and illegality of suicide and assisted suicide.
Debate the legality of organ procurement and allocation procedures.