title: [Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide : Attitudes of physicians and nurses].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The current debate about end-of-life decisions in Germany focuses on physician-assisted suicide (PAS). However, there is only limited information available on physicians' attitudes towards euthanasia or PAS, and no data on nurses' attitudes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim is to explore attitudes of physicians and nurses with a special interest in palliative care and pain medicine using a case-related questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  An anonymous questionnaire, consisting of eight questions, was distributed to all participants of a palliative care congress and a pain symposium. The questions focused on two scenarios: (1) a patient with an incurable fatal illness, (2) a patient with an incurable but nonfatal illness. The question was: Should euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (PAS) be allowed. In addition, the participants were asked what they wanted for themselves if they were the patient concerned.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 317 questionnaires were analyzed; the return rate was 70 %. The general support for euthanasia and PAS was high: 40.5 % supported euthanasia in case of a fatal illness ("definitely…", "probably should be allowed"), 53.5 % supported PAS. The support decreased in case of a nonfatal illness; however, it increased when the participants were asked about their attitudes if they were the patient concerned. Nurses were more open towards euthanasia and PAS. In physicians the rejection of PAS was directly related to a higher level of qualification in the field of palliative care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fact that nurses had a more positive attitude towards euthanasia and PAS and that all respondents accepted life-ending acts for themselves more than for their patients hints to still existing severe deficits in Germany.
authors.affiliation: Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Kemnadestr. 342, 44797, Bochum, Deutschland, juliazenz@mail.de.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zenz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tryba
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zenz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000523:psychology; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D017236:Suicide, Assisted / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires