title: End-of-life care: legal and ethical considerations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prepare the oncology nurse, under the Patient Self-Determination Act, to analyze and discuss legal and ethical issues that may arise in the clinical area when end-of-life decisions are made.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nursing textbooks, scholarly articles, court cases, and internet publications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dying patient has the right to die with dignity, respect, and the right treatment choices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses need to understand how to implement the Patient Self-Determination Act regarding living wills, do not resuscitate orders, euthanasia, and whether or not to use feeding tubes.
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Nursing, Lubbock, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: O'Keefe
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Crawford
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D006801:Humans; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D019726:Patient Self-Determination Act; D013727:Terminal Care; D014481:United States