Voluntary euthanasia and the nurse: an Australian survey.
This article presents the results of a survey of the attitudes and practices of nurses in Victoria with regard to requests for active or passive help in dying from patients who were suffering from a terminal or incurable disease. Questionnaires were sent to 1942 nurses who had been selected at random, 943 nurses (49%) of whom returned completed questionnaires. The survey indicates that a clear majority of those who responded to the questionnaire support active voluntary euthanasia. Many nurses have collaborated with doctors in the provision of active voluntary euthanasia and a few have acted without consulting a doctor. Seventy-eight per cent of nurses thought the law should be changed to allow doctors to take active steps to bring about a patient's death under some circumstances; and 65% of nurses indicated that they would be willing to collaborate with doctors in the provision of active voluntary euthanasia if it were legal.
Kuhse
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Monash University, Centre for Human Bioethics, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Singer
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D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D034723:Double Effect Principle; D004989:Ethics; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D005065:Euthanasia; D033101:Euthanasia, Active, Voluntary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010820:Physicians; D012067:Religion; D012297:Right to Die; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria; D028761:Withholding Treatment