Alleviation of pain and symptoms with a life-shortening intention.
This article reports the findings of a study into the role of Dutch nurses in the alleviation of pain and symptoms with a life-shortening intention, conducted as part of a study into the role of nurses in medical end-of-life decisions. A questionnaire survey was carried out using a population of 1509 nurses who were employed in hospitals, home care organizations and nursing homes. The response rate was 82.0%; 78.1% (1179) were suitable for analysis. The results show that in about half of the cases (55.8%) nurses were involved in the decision making by the physician and that nurses were frequently (81.5%) involved in administering the medication. The authors' conclusion is that alleviation of pain and symptoms with a life-shortening intention represents a ;grey' area, in which physicians and nurses act on the basis of personal ethical norms rather than legal rules, professional guidelines or shared moral values.
van Bruchem-van de Scheur
Grada Ada G
GA
Department of Health, Ethics and Society, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. a.vanbruchem@zw.unimaas.nl
van der Arend
Arie J G
AJ
Abu-Saad
Huda Huijer
HH
van Wijmen
Frans C B
FC
Spreeuwenberg
Cor
C
ter Meulen
Ruud H J
RH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics*; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000941:ethics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics*