The patient, Mr. Green is a 57 year-old with aggressive prostate cancer who is taken care of by the nursing team in the oncology department of a general hospital.

The patient, Mr. Green is a 57 year-old with aggressive prostate cancer who is taken care of by the nursing team in the oncology department of a general hospital. Mr. Green was diagnosed with prostate cancer seven years ago but refused medical and surgical treatment at the time. He chose to seek alternative treatment and did not follow up with the urologist over that seven-year period. Mr. Green has now presented with anemia and hypoproteinemia. After several diagnostic tests over a period it was discovered that the cancer had metastasized to his bones, it had spread locally to his lymph nodes and the primary tumor was invading the bladder and partially obstructing the left kidney. Mr. Green had several admissions over a two-month period for various reasons. On the last admission Mr Green was told that he may only have 4-6 weeks (previously it was 6-12 months) to live after a cystoscopy showed further extensive growth of the tumor, it was determined that any further surgical/medical intervention would not be appropriate in this case and that a palliative care regimen was the next step. At this point the patient reported to the health care team that he had resigned himself to the fact that he was going to die. Mr. Green pulled one of the physician’s aside and confided that he planned to kill himself and that this was a secret that was not to be told to anyone.

What are  both the legal and ethical concerns?