Lethal injection nurse???

Nurses General Nursing

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hi everyone,

I just read that some states are looking into having nurses administer lethal injections to death row inmates. Since I have a questionable source my question will be hypothetical.

Would this be a p/t job you would consider?

How do you feel it fit/ or does not fit in to nursing?

I have very mixed feeling about this, i feel alot of anger when I think of people like Susan Smith (she the one who droend her kids right?). But I would not like anger to be my primary moviation in this context.

Many of us don't like the fact MA'S are doing things that licensed nurses should be doing! But when a proposal of having a RN to do something of this magnitude some say let the MA's do it! Why don't they let the family members of the victim do it? Just a thought.

In my state it is a very high probability that the person being taken out was innocent. I read somewhere, something like 8 out of 10 were found innocent later on. I don't see how anyone could make the judgement that someone is actually guilty and deserves to die. If there was a foolproof way to ID the guilty I would be all for the death penalty. I do believe that if someone takes a life that they don't deserve to live but our justice system does not seem to be doing a very good job of making sure that those who don't deserve it are protected.

Me: No I could NEVER do that job. NEVER.

Outta my way, Kewl, I want to be first in line! LOL!:D

Seriously, I would start the IV, administer the drugs, monitor the rhythm and sat, and do it all in good conscience-as long as the people (a jury of peers) had spoken, and a Dr. had ordered it. :rolleyes: I am a very firm believer in capital punishment. :stone

What really ticks me off is the YEARS of multiple appeals these folks get to have, when appealing their death sentence.:( No one allowed their victims YEARS to beg for their lives!

Yes, I know that there have been some folks wrongly convicted, and cleared with DNA evidence.:rolleyes: With the exception of those few, and O.J. Simpson (reverse DNA, or some lame excuse those jurors couldn't understand:( ) I feel juries are usually right, and I would not be bothered at all to help the state carry out a death sentence.;)

Specializes in LDRP; Education.
Originally posted by Teshiee

Many of us don't like the fact MA'S are doing things that licensed nurses should be doing! But when a proposal of having a RN to do something of this magnitude some say let the MA's do it! Why don't they let the family members of the victim do it? Just a thought.

I like the idea of having the family members do it.

As far as the MAs, I guess I am wondering why it is NOT important to have an RN administer injections in our clinics, but for a lethal injection, SUDDENLY an RN is needed? I don't understand the inconsistency in principles here.

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

Couldn't do it!!! And, that's all I'm willing to share on the subject!

I would never even consider it. But once having started thinking about it, some questions come up. Like does the person starting the IV use sterile technique? And if so, why?

I know that's an icky question, but the small, but yes, very sick side of me wants to know.

Love

Denni

I am all for the death penalty. I am also for all the appeals, but not automatically. Some convicted murders have wanted to die right away, but were forced to go through a long series of appeals before they were executed.

And for those of you who think you want to be the right hand of death, well killing another human is not as easy as you might think. Gary

Why nurses? Do we impress them that we kill everyday just because we face death everyday. Or do they think that we have no emotions towards people's death, or we are supermen and women who can do what ever is left undone. It's nothing to do with whether you are pros or cons against death penalty, or anything to do with who is capable of doing it. We are there to take care of the sick and promote public health. It's back to the history again when nurses were paid to handle dead bodies. It's is disgusting and insulting.

Specializes in Trauma acute surgery, surgical ICU, PACU.

I read somewhere that each stage of the "killing" process when enacting the death penalty is done by a different person, anyway. One person prepares the syringe. Another takes it to the chember. Another straps the prisoner down. Someone else starts the iv, and someone else pushes the button to release the plunger. That way, one person (doctor, nurse, prison guard, or otherwise) does not have the exteremity of the full act of killing another human being, and can dissociate a little more.

For or against the death penalty, the sheer act of putting another person to death can leave lasting psychological scars. I would never do that job.

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

nurses' participation in capital punishment

http://nursingworld.org/readroom/position/ethics/etcptl.htm

summary: the american nurses association (ana) is strongly opposed to nurse participation in capital punishment. participation in executions is viewed as contrary to the fundamental goals and ethical traditions of the profession.

background: health care professionals, including nurses, continue to be called upon to participate in capital punishment, particularly lethal injection executions. thirty-six states have legalized the death penalty by methods including electrocution, gas chamber, hanging and the firing squad. twenty-five of those states use lethal injection as the preferred method of execution. many states through legislative authorization have delineated specific roles for health care professionals to be involved in executions.(1)

historically, the role of the nurse has been to promote, preserve and protect human life. the ana code for nurses with interpretive statements (code for nurses) is grounded in the basic principles of respect for persons, the non-infliction of harm and fidelity to recipients of nursing care. the code for nurses, nursing's ethical code of conduct, stipulates that "the nurse does not act deliberately to terminate the life of any person." the obligation to refrain from causing death is longstanding and should not be breached even when legally sanctioned. participation in capital punishment is inconsistent with these ethical precepts and the goals of the profession. the ana is strongly opposed to all forms of participation, by whatever means, whether under civil or military legal authority. nurses should refrain from participation in capital punishment and not take part in assessment, supervision or monitoring of the procedure or the prisoner; procuring, prescribing or preparing medications or solutions; inserting the intravenous catheter; injecting the lethal solution; and attending or witnessing the execution as a nurse. the fact that capital punishment is currently supported in many segments of society does not override the obligation of nurses to uphold the ethical mandates of the profession. the ana recognizes that the endorsement of the death penalty remains a personal decision and that individual nurses may have views that are different from the official position of the profession. regardless of the personal opinion of the nurse on the appropriateness of capital punishment, it is a breach of the ethical traditions of nursing, and the code for nurses to participate in taking life of any person.

references

1. the american college of physicians, et al. (1994). breach of trust: physician participation in executions in the united states. philadelphia, pennsylvania.

effective date: december 8, 1994

status: revised position statement

originated by: ana committee on ethics, 1983, rev. 1988

revised by: ana center for ethics and human rights

adopted by: ana board of directors

I am wondering how many people here who are saying they would participate would do so after actually being exposed to this or after participating once. Just a retorical question. We really can't know that we would do this without actually seeing this first hand (present in the room) or without actually being assigned to this task, or at the very least doing this once. I am sure anyone would be forced to do a LOT of real soul searching. I believe participating may change one's self immage or attitudes in ways that we cannot fathom.

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

The man who murdered my first cousin with a tire iron for his small paycheck is currently on death row in Florida. He also killed several people from Florida through Ga and into NC before he was caught.

"Old Sparky" is no longer an option in Florida...too bad.

Frankly I really would like to see the eye for an eye extend to the means of capital punishment.

IE: child beaten to death......same

grandfather kicked to death...same

Kidnap victim brutalized......

Get the picture?

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