Has a patient asked you to help him/her die?

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  1. Has a patient asked you to help him/her die?

    • 83
      Yes
    • 98
      No

181 members have participated

Specializes in CCU, Geriatrics, Critical Care, Tele.

Has a patient asked you to help him/her die?

Please vote and post your comments and provide details if you wish.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Hi Brian - I voted no, because though I've had people beg for death, I"ve never had anyone actually ask me to help.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I've had patients refuse treatment saying things like "just let me die" or "I don't care if I die, just leave me alone". But I've never been asked to actually help them to die.

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I'm a veterinary technician (CVT) and I have been asked about assisted suicide more than once. Maybe it's because animals have the euthanasia option. Many people tell us that this is the way that they want to go as we are euthanizing their pet. The people who have asked me already had terminal illnesses such as cancer and COPD. One person had severe Parkinson's. The first time that I experienced this, I had absolutely no idea how to respond. Now, I explain to the client why I cannot help them. I also try to call a spouse or friend. I will also contact the local mental health center especially if I cannot contact anyone else.

When I have talked to other CVT's about this they told me that they also had clients that made this request. Most were elderly, many with terminal physical illness, surprisingly few were were what we would consider mentally ill.

Fuzzy

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Specializes in MDS coordinator, hospice, ortho/ neuro.

I've had Hospice patients ask for lethal doses. Generally they did this when they were frustrated / angry/ etc and then the next time I came near them they were afraid I'd taken them seriously. Sometimes the only thing that would convince them that I was not about to euthanize them was to say something really blunt like "I'm not going to risk my license over someone who is only going to last a few days anyway"

My experience has been that those who were serious about ending it early made arrangements on their own and would make sure you didnt know anything about it so that you couldn't stop them.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

I've worked with a few that begged me to make sure thier families honored their wishes.Sadly I have seen these directives ignored numerous times...I did private duty home care for a young man that died of cancer-in his last days he thanked me for my help and asked me to make sure his mom did not send him to the hospital and the end and to make sure he did not suffer....He died with his dog lying on the bed at his side.....surrounded by his family and resting comfortably....

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When I first began working, I had a few patients that asked for help to die. I never honored their request. I did however, explore with them their reasons and made appropriate referrals. I did assist a physician with terminating life support, after it was approved by the hospital ethics committee and at the request of the family involved. I have an Advance Directive and my daughter is my Health Proxy. She is fully aware of my wishes. Many problems could be solved if everyone, young and old made their wishes known, in writting.

Grannynurse :balloons:

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

No, I do not remember having a patient that wanted me to help them die. I've had some that want to die, but not ask me to help them. I wouldn't help them anyway. I'm not God.

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this past weekend a resident told me that he wanted to die...he is wheelchair bound and can not even hold him self up straight in the w/c or geri chair..had a stroke [i think it was probably induce by drug abuse] he has been like this for 10 years and pt has done its limit he will never be any better...35 years old real shame but no he didn't ask me to help him to die..couldn't do that...my making bad decisions would just compound the bad decisions he made

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

No one's actually asked me to help, but pts. have asked to "just let me die".

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I had a client that had ALS and who was trach and vent dependent at home. I was her Nursing manager and worked with a team of 2 other nurses to take care of all of her needs. "Angela" was 54 years old and wanted to die. Her mind was perfect but her body was helpless. She was able to make all decisions and she chose to come off of the GT feedings and vent. This was very difficult, but on the side of client rights, she made the final choice.

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Has a patient asked you to help him/her die?

Please vote and post your comments and provide details if you wish.

Luckily, i've never had a pt directly ask me. If it did happen, I'd explore why that was their choice & work from there. I have advised several people of their rights to refuse tx...usually not in the health care setting. One of my favorite posessions is my advance directives...reviewed & updated /p the Fla nightmare! My update includes the sentance, "the ONLY tube to be used in my care is a straw!!"

:Melody: dharma143

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