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Assisted suicide: is there a future? Ethical and nursing considerations
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
|May 1, 1996
Summary
Nurses must engage in the physician-assisted suicide debate, understanding euthanasia forms and ethical arguments. This article explores the implications of legalized physician-assisted death for healthcare and society.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Nursing Practice
- Bioethics
Background:
- The debate surrounding physician-assisted suicide (PAS) necessitates a clear understanding of related concepts for healthcare professionals.
- Nurses play a critical role in end-of-life care discussions and decision-making.
Observation:
- This article delineates various forms of euthanasia, including active, passive, voluntary, involuntary, the principle of double-effect, PAS, and physician aid-in-dying.
- Case examples are utilized to illustrate these complex end-of-life practices.
Findings:
- Ethical arguments against PAS are presented, focusing on concerns related to pain and suffering, quality of life, patient autonomy, and the common good.
- The potential negative consequences of legalizing physician-assisted death on the nursing profession and broader society are examined.
Implications:
- Nurses are urged to take a personal and professional stance on the issue of physician-assisted suicide.
- The article provides guidelines and discusses specific nursing implications for practice and ethical decision-making in end-of-life care.