Involvement of nurses in the euthanasia care process in Flanders (Belgium): an exploration of two perspectives.
This study explored nurses' involvement in the care process for mentally competent, terminally ill patients requesting euthanasia in general hospitals in Flanders, Belgium. In-depth interviews with 18 nurses who had experience in caring for patients requesting euthanasia since May 2002 were analyzed using grounded theory qualitative methods. We found that the involvement of nurses in the care process is influenced by their predominant perspective on it: the procedural, action-focused perspective, from which good practical organization of the care process is essential; or the existential-interpretative perspective, from which it is important to understand the patient's request within a dialogue-focused and communicational atmosphere. Findings show that the two perspectives are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary dimensions of the euthanasia care process. Hence, sufficient support for nurses to reach a well-balanced integration of both perspectives is essential.
Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35 blok d - bus 7001, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. yvonne.denier@med.kuleuven.be
Yvonne
Y
Denier
Bernadette
B
Dierckx de Casterlé
Nele
N
De Bal
Chris
C
Gastmans
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001530:Belgium; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003142:Communication; D033101:Euthanasia, Active, Voluntary / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D005086:Existentialism / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005655:Funeral Rites / Q000523:psychology; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011368:Professional-Family Relations / Q000941:ethics; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires