one of the hot issues in nursing (euthanasia)

[yousev]

If a patient's relatives or the patient himself ask u to remove any life-saving devices, would u do it?

[Energizer Bunny]

Although I would certainly feel for the patient and may even want to help him, I would tell him that I could not end his suffering permanently.

[Energizer Bunny]

Although I would certainly feel for the patient and may even want to help him, I would tell him that I could not end his suffering permanently.

[leslie :-D]

God that's a tough one. if the conditions were truly terminal with suffering, who knows what i'd do if i could get away with it. you just don't know until you're there.

[leslie :-D]

God that's a tough one. if the conditions were truly terminal with suffering, who knows what i'd do if i could get away with it. you just don't know until you're there.

[fergus51]

I'll do what is legal. We do withdraw care (ex. removing patients from ventillators, etc.) and I have no moral problems with participating in that. We don't kill patients though.

[fergus51]

I'll do what is legal. We do withdraw care (ex. removing patients from ventillators, etc.) and I have no moral problems with participating in that. We don't kill patients though.

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

I was on ND yesterday so I did not make myself clear

We do withdraw treatment - I work ICU yes we do withdraw and I have had patients with "living wills/advanced health care directives" where we have either not initiated treatment in the first place or we have pulled out. I do not think there is one of us working in critical care that has not come across this situation. BUT that is very very different from euthanasia.

I used to love the early definition of Cardiac Arrest as a "sudden and unexpected cessation of life" - this definition allowed for normal natural death as an expected part of the cycle of life.

There is no one answer to your question because there is no hard and fast rule. It is a continuum of medical intervention with total aggressive intervention one end and a natural death at the other.

But it is still not euthanasia.

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

I was on ND yesterday so I did not make myself clear

We do withdraw treatment - I work ICU yes we do withdraw and I have had patients with "living wills/advanced health care directives" where we have either not initiated treatment in the first place or we have pulled out. I do not think there is one of us working in critical care that has not come across this situation. BUT that is very very different from euthanasia.

I used to love the early definition of Cardiac Arrest as a "sudden and unexpected cessation of life" - this definition allowed for normal natural death as an expected part of the cycle of life.

There is no one answer to your question because there is no hard and fast rule. It is a continuum of medical intervention with total aggressive intervention one end and a natural death at the other.

But it is still not euthanasia.

[TweetiePieRN]

No, I could not do this. Legally, I don't think I would be able to even if I wanted to.

[TweetiePieRN]

No, I could not do this. Legally, I don't think I would be able to even if I wanted to.

[BabyRN2Be]

Nope... too many ethical and legal problems. Don't want to buy any of those.

[BabyRN2Be]

Nope... too many ethical and legal problems. Don't want to buy any of those.