Nevada nurses' attitudes regarding physician-assisted suicide

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Nursing Practice
• End-of-Life Care

Background:

• Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is a complex ethical issue with varying perspectives among healthcare professionals.
• Understanding nurses' views is crucial for policy development and patient care in end-of-life situations.
• Previous research has explored attitudes towards PAS, but specific data on Nevada nurses' opinions were lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the attitudes of Nevada nurses regarding physician-assisted suicide (PAS) and other end-of-life interventions.
• To compare nurses' agreement with PAS versus withdrawal of life-support, double-effect euthanasia, and active euthanasia.
• To explore arguments for and against PAS legalization and nurses' willingness to participate.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study utilizing a survey administered to 539 nurses in Nevada.
• Nurses responded to hypothetical cases assessing their beliefs on different end-of-life measures.
• The survey also included questions on arguments related to PAS legalization and willingness to participate.

Main Results:

• Nurses were evenly divided on physician-assisted suicide (PAS), with 53% agreeing in hypothetical cases.
• Agreement was higher for withdrawal of life-support (92%) and double-effect euthanasia (85%), but lower for active euthanasia (44%).
• While 75% felt PAS could be justified, only 46% would participate if legalized, indicating a gap between belief and action.

Conclusions:

• Nevada nurses exhibit a divided stance on physician-assisted suicide (PAS), reflecting complex ethical considerations.
• A significant portion of nurses personally justify PAS in select cases but show reluctance to actively participate.
• Findings highlight the need for further discussion and policy consideration regarding PAS within the nursing profession.