title: Communicating with people who request euthanasia.
abstract: The subject of euthanasia is widely debated in the medical literature and lay press in terms of morals, anecdotes and medical or legal ethics. This paper approaches the issue from a patient-centred perspectives, giving four case histories to demonstrate widely varied motives or hidden agendas for requesting euthanasia. It concludes with guidelines in an approach to communication which may empower the caregiver when confronted with a patient requesting assisted death or suicide.
authors.affiliation: Illawarra Cancer Care Centre, Wollongong, Australia.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cole
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000523:psychology*; D033101:Euthanasia, Active, Voluntary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017236:Suicide, Assisted / Q000523:psychology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology