Euthanasia and Registered Nurses?

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Hello guys. I am currently a Nursing student and for one of my English classes we are required to do a research project. I am doing research on "what the role of nurses (any specialty really) is when is comes to euthanasia". I know this might be illegal in many parts of the world, etc, but I would like to know if you could please help me by answering a few questions. All I need is your Real Name and your Title (RN, etc..) and this is for research purposes only. You can private message me your answers and complete name please (you can make it up, it's fine). I really need help to finish my research. Only the interview part I am missing. I appreciate it. I hope to be a future RN like you guys. :) I am super motivated. Please help me with a few answers. I would also like to talk to people and their opinions about this issue. This issue has always fascinated me and honestly if I am in a situation, ever, in my life, where I had a horrible disease, I would travel to Switzerland, no questions asked..

1. What is euthanasia, in your own terms?

2. What would you do if a patient requested euthanasia and he only trusted you?

3. What do you believe is the nurse's role when it comes to a euthanasia request?

4. Do you have guidelines at your work place for this type of situations?

5. What is your own opinion about euthanasia?

6. If this was legal where you work, would you know how to handle this situation? Have you been trained to handle this type of situation?

7. If euthanasia was legal, how would religion, experience, and age of the nurse would affect the nurse's role regarding euthanasia?

8. Do you believe this is the physician's role only? Do you believe nurses should be involved at all (during decision making, talking to family of patient, etc.)?

9. What is your opinion about nurses being present during the administration of the euthanatics or administering the euthanatic themselves as ordered by the physician?

Thank you so much!

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Why do you need our real names? I have no problems answering but a huge problem giving my name :/

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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Why do you need our real names? I have no problems answering but a huge problem giving my name :/

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

If you would continue to read her post she said you could make up a name.

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No need for your real name, sorry. Make up a fake name, anything realistic. My teacher doesn't care, but I do need honest responses. If you don't know the answer to anything, just say, I don't know please. I don't need your real names, sorry for the confusion. :) Thanks for helping guys.

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Got it! Didn't see that part!

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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Hello guys. I am currently a Nursing student and for one of my English classes we are required to do a research project. I am doing research on "what the role of nurses (any specialty really) is when is comes to euthanasia". I know this might be illegal in many parts of the world, etc, but I would like to know if you could please help me by answering a few questions. All I need is your Real Name and your Title (RN, etc..) and this is for research purposes only. You can private message me your answers and complete name please (you can make it up, it's fine). I really need help to finish my research. Only the interview part I am missing. I appreciate it. I hope to be a future RN like you guys. :) I am super motivated. Please help me with a few answers. I would also like to talk to people and their opinions about this issue. This issue has always fascinated me and honestly if I am in a situation, ever, in my life, where I had a horrible disease, I would travel to Switzerland, no questions asked..

Melissa Smith

1. What is euthanasia, in your own terms? Helping along the inevitable to maintain dignity.

2. What would you do if a patient requested euthanasia and he only trusted you? If it was legal, I would do it.

3. What do you believe is the nurse's role when it comes to a euthanasia request?

When it becomes legal I'd guess it would be like any other specialty- charting, running tests, helping with consents, follow up for psych consult prior to.

4. Do you have guidelines at your work place for this type of situations?

Other than "it's illegal don't do it" I don't think so

5. What is your own opinion about euthanasia? I believe it's a shame that we can maintain an annals dignity and keep pain from ruining an otherwise beautiful animal, but we can't do this for our loved ones.

6. If this was legal where you work, would you know how to handle this situation?

I'd figure it out.

Have you been trained to handle this type of situation? Right now? Report the person to their respective board since its illegal b

7. If euthanasia was legal, how would religion, experience, and age of the nurse would affect the nurse's role regarding euthanasia? I think it would be regarded similarly to abortion. Religion/age/experience would either draw people in or push them away.

8. Do you believe this is the physician's role only? Do you believe nurses should be involved at all (during decision making, talking to family of patient, etc.)? I fully believe a nurse should be involved, same way we do a lot of the work in hospice, why not here? More hand-in-hand with physicians instead of them giving orders and leaving though.

9. What is your opinion about nurses being present during the administration of the euthanatics or administering the euthanatic themselves as ordered by the physician? I don't think any one person should be responsible for giving the fatal dose, too much emotion for one to handle alone.

Thank you so much!

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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Sorry, didn't know how to copy and paste al that in a PM

Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

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Wow, excellent! Thanks for responding to my mini survey/questionnaire. I really appreciate your time. Like you, I would do it if I was the nurse and it was legal. I have seen all the documentaries on youtube and they are heartbreaking, but it's the right thing to do, at least for me. Thanks Melissa :)

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

moved to nursing student assistance for best response

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We treat our terminally-ill animals better than we treat our terminally-ill humans. You can quote me on that, even though it's not original.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

1. What is euthanasia, in your own terms? Euthanasia is the administration of medicines to end one's life by choice when terminal disease is present to limit end/suffering

2. What would you do if a patient requested euthanasia and he only trusted you? If it was legal yes...if not...no.

3. What do you believe is the nurse's role when it comes to a euthanasia request? To provide the patient and family with comfort and support with their decision. To provide the patient with dignity and comfort in their last hours

4. Do you have guidelines at your work place for this type of situations? It is illegal so no.

5. What is your own opinion about euthanasia? We are kinder to our pets that we are our humans.

6. If this was legal where you work, would you know how to handle this situation? Yes......once I was trained on the procedure and considered myself competent...I have no ethical dilemma to this. Have you been trained to handle this type of situation? NO....it is not legal.....sadly, we don't put people down.

7. If euthanasia was legal, how would religion, experience, and age of the nurse would affect the nurse's role regarding euthanasia? Plenty....just as many nurses are against abortion there would be those against this....they have the right to not participate.

8. Do you believe this is the physician's role only? Do you believe nurses should be involved at all (during decision making, talking to family of patient, etc.)? I feel the administration of the meds to end life should be the MD responsibility

...but the nurses participation is imperative to the decision making process, care of the patient and the

support of the family. 9. What is your opinion about nurses being present during the administration of the euthanatics or administering the euthanatic themselves as ordered by the physician? I would be fine to be present during the administration of the drugs.....however....it would really take some very specific laws before i would administer the meds myself. I feel the MD should not make these decisions lightly and they should not be let off the hook by making someone else administer the drugs for them. The patient deserves to have their MD there during this process.

I hope this helps

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Thank you so much for your help Esme12. I really appreciate your time. This helps a ton before my finals. You guys are life savers, no pun intended lol

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