Do nurses support physician assisted suicide?

Nurses General Nursing

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  1. Do you support physician assisted suicide?

    • 615
      yes
    • 274
      no
    • 78
      undecided

967 members have participated

Earlier today there was a thread regarding Dr. Kevorkian's release from prison. Just as I was adding my thoughts, it got moved to the Current Events restricted area.

At that time, it seemed like there was 100% support for him. Honestly, I was surprised, especially since not everyone he killed was terminally ill. (I'm from Michigan, though, so maybe I know more about his history).

So I'm wondering, do nurses generally support the theory of physician assisted suicide?

Specializes in PACU, Med/Surg.

Even though I don't agree with suicide, each person is responsible for themselves (if they have the mental capacity) and should be allowed to do to themselves and thier own body as they please.

If a person takes thier own lives and by thier hand ONLY, then so be it.

But it is outrageous when a health care provider, such as Jack Kavorkian, provides euthanasia by INJECTING into the arm of someone a drug that first puts them to sleep and then stops thier heart. This is the same way we euthanize animals.

If someone wants to end thier own lives themselves, fine. I don't believe in a "nanny" government; one that protects a person from themselves.

But no one has the right to kill another person. No matter what word we use.

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If a person takes thier own lives and by thier hand ONLY, then so be it.

But it is outrageous when a health care provider, such as Jack Kavorkian, provides euthanasia by INJECTING into the arm of someone a drug that first puts them to sleep and then stops thier heart. This is the same way we euthanize animals.

But no one has the right to kill another person. No matter what word we use.

And no one......not one single person....has said that we do have that right. Nobody here has said they believe in euthanizing people, even though some people brought up the comparison of how we treat our pets. This thread is about physician-assisted SUICIDE. What Kevorkian did was wrong, because he is the one who actually performed the act.

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I have been in hospice care for 11 years, and see death & dying every workday. I am a strong supporter of PAS. We may not have control over the way we are born, but absolutely must have it over the way we die.

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I have been in hospice care for 11 years, and see death & dying every workday. I am a strong supporter of PAS. We may not have control over the way we are born, but absolutely must have it over the way we die.

Amen. This is as it should be.

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Yes. I support PAS 100%. I have worked in long term care and have seen paitents suffer with terminal illness. Imagine, living the last few weeks of your life in so much pain, unable to eat, unable to concentrate on your favorite activity, unable to control your own bodily functions, while your family hovers around you watching you in this horrid condition. I can not imagine anyone wanting to go out that way. If I am ever faced with that I hope someone puts me to sleep like a sick pet!!!

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Specializes in Nursing Education.

I totally support PAS! Over my 23 years in nursing - I have certainly seen my fair share of human suffering. Such suffering should NOT be the way we end an otherwise great life. I could never personally imagine ever suffering like some of the patients that I have cared for did over the years as their life came to an end. One poster said that this was the HUMAN CONDITION. While I can agree that this might be the Human Condition - the only humane thing to do is allow people to die with dignity and pain-free. I salute all the Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses out there - you all make the world a far better place for those suffering.

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Under the proper conditions (medical reason, etc.) and very strict guidelines, yes I do.

Sorry I got into this so late. Please excuse what I am sure will be multiple posts.

I wholeheartedly agree with my bff. :D

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Mike 'n Tazzi f'rever! :biere: :cheers:

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I have read the posts and my heart goes out to all of you. However, we Christian caregivers have a greater responsibility than our own choices or that of our loved ones.

PAS in my OPINION is the easy way out. That way family doesn't have to deal with the patient, we professionals do not have to deal with the patient, the doctors do not have to deal with the patients. Just give the patients the means to end their life. What does that do to all of us? Death is part of life, pain comes in many forms (physical, spiritual, and mental), all of us, yes, are affected by terminal patients, but what greater people we are by knowing them and caring for them.

I have met many good people by caring for their family members. I have seen many happy deaths by not giving excessive medications to end or hasten death.

We all are going to be accountable and have to stand in judgement, no one will be there to hold our hand as we give an account as to why we helped a person end their life.

We professionals all better think.

Caregivers have a professional accountability as well. If you feel you are in a situation that compromises your personal beliefs to the point that it affects your ability to non-judgementally care for a pt, then you have a professional obligation to step back and ask to be reassigned. It is inappropriate to use a pt's illness as an opportunity for prostelytizing or pursuing a particular religious philosophy.

Not all health care professionals are Christians, and neither are our patients, for that matter.

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A family member of mine was ill, blind, deaf, mostly bedridden and miserable. She would beg us to help her die even after her quite understandable depression had been treated.

I didn't know it at the time, but her husband had stockpiled benzodiazepine sleeping pills and put a lethal dose within her reach. I did notice that she stopped begging us for help in dying.

She never used those pills. I have to think that knowing they were there was a great comfort to her. The knowledge that she had an exit should things get too hard helped her relax during her last months.

Her husband is now gone, too. I did get the chance to thank him for what he did for her. Peace of mind at the end has to be a very great gift.

My family's experience is the same that has been witnessed under the one assisted suicide law currently in force, that once a terminal patient has the means, s/he gains a great deal of peace of mind and that few actually use them.

I am very much in favor of the idea, then, once a patient's depression and pain have been addressed.

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why do you think there are hospice programs in the us? it allow patient themselves or family members to let go of their loved ones but without physical, psychological, and spiritual agony
please! let's take you from your home, stuff you in a room, surrounded by (dying) people you don't know and wait until you die. the only one that is spared the physical, psychological and spiritual agony here is the family members who walk out the front door, get in their cars and drive to their nice, safe, comfortable homes.
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Specializes in ICU, HOME HEALTH, NURSING EDUC, CASE MGT.

I hear you loud and clear TazziRN! After all, it still is about the patient.

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