'Right to Die', what's your take on it?

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So California recently passed the 'right to die' law and I recently saw an episode on 'Vice' where a woman in Europe actually allowed the journalist to record her euthanasia. A nurse was there who set up the heplock in her vein where the medication went in. Wanted to know what other nurses think of the 'right to die' law which is now legal in 5 states and if you would participate in it if there were a nursing job for that?

Specializes in Trauma ICU.

I found this amazing article and when I saw your post I thought you may enjoy it! It is written by a doctor about how she handles the withdrawl of care as carefully as a code situtation.

A "Code Death" For Dying Patients

I agree there should be a plan for dying and we need to stop feeling like it something un-natural or taboo to talk about. It is a natural process of life and the more we treat as such I think the more we can improve the process and do right by our patients!

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Except that euthanasia is still 100% illegal. What is legal is physician assisted suicide- that's the only option in all states who have passed this kind of legislation. The medication can be prescribed, but it is the patient who must administer it to themselves

One of the problems with this subject is people are confused or ill-informed about the difference between euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (which is starting to be called physician assisted death).

As others have noted, euthanasia is NOT legal in America.

Physician assisted death is highly regulated and yes, we just passed it in California. There are many hoops to jump through to get a prescription for something that a PATIENT can take to end his or her life.

As a hospice nurse, I've been against this because I think hospice can help with having a peaceful and pain-free death. I'm also not a believer that the medications we give push anyone more quickly to death. One poster mentioned a patient whose pain was resolved so he could enjoy his last few days visiting with family and friends. I've seen that happen many times.

Now that the law passed here, hospices have to figure out how they are going to handle it. It is a hard situation but we do not have to be involved at all so that is good. We as hospice have fought the notion that "hospice comes in and kills you with morphine" for years. That is not what we do.

Personally, I don't think hospice should hitch their wagons to this law. I think since the law is passed, have another organization spring up to handle these cases. But let hospice continue to do a good job with helping people at the end of their lives.

The January edition of JAMA has a whole section of pro/con articles about this issue. Very good reading.

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One of the problems with this subject is people are confused or ill-informed about the difference between euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (which is starting to be called physician assisted death).

As others have noted, euthanasia is NOT legal in America.

Physician assisted death is highly regulated and yes, we just passed it in California. There are many hoops to jump through to get a prescription for something that a PATIENT can take to end his or her life.

As a hospice nurse, I've been against this because I think hospice can help with having a peaceful and pain-free death. I'm also not a believer that the medications we give push anyone more quickly to death. One poster mentioned a patient whose pain was resolved so he could enjoy his last few days visiting with family and friends. I've seen that happen many times.

Now that the law passed here, hospices have to figure out how they are going to handle it. It is a hard situation but we do not have to be involved at all so that is good. We as hospice have fought the notion that "hospice comes in and kills you with morphine" for years. That is not what we do.

Personally, I don't think hospice should hitch their wagons to this law. I think since the law is passed, have another organization spring up to handle these cases. But let hospice continue to do a good job with helping people at the end of their lives.

The January edition of JAMA has a whole section of pro/con articles about this issue. Very good reading.

I don't think it should be shouldered by Hospice either. It's a different type of end of life care than Hospice Care and should be managed as an alternative.

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I don't think it should be shouldered by Hospice either. It's a different type of end of life care than Hospice Care and should be managed as an alternative.

Thank you. Interesting mix of people on my hospice team and it makes for some longer IDT meetings in trying to hash this out. We have social workers, chaplain, pharmacist, physician, and our volunteers are a mix of opinion as well.

I was not in favor of the bill but now that it is law, we have to figure out a policy of how to handle the new law. It does not say we MUST do anything; there are no legal mandates forcing a hospice to do anything fortunately.

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I am a huge supporter of a patients right to die because we need to make sure a patients wishes are followed regardless of what we feel. Once someone has been ill for so long or has a disease we can't do anything about and the end is gonna be death, why should it have to be long and painful or so taxing dying is traumatic when it doesn't have to be? We all are gonna die and it shouldn't be feared or an experience that is awful and we can do things to ensure it isn't. If we do all that is possible for someone who wants that why not do all possible to keep a patient from dying in distress? I hope people stop fearing death knowing if the time comes we are gonna make it a peaceful and keep them in control of their passing then maybe it will be viewed as nothing to fear but another part of their life.

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I will not participate. It is against my religious belief. God will decide what day and time a person will die and I will not push the drugs that will bring them to death.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

My state passed a Death with Dignity law about 2 years ago. A few months later, I applied for a home hospice job. During the interview I was asked my opinion on assisted suicide. The agency does not allow nurses to participate in assisted suicide. If a client called and said they had just taken a fatal dose of something a nurse could go care for them, but the nurse could not give the fatal dose.

I'm wary of "death with dignity" laws. Health care is all about money, and death is cheap. What will stop health care providers from not recommending treatment because of cost? Who decides who gets treated and who gets "death with dignity?" Will it depend on the patient's illness, or their insurance?

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I am a huge supporter of a patients right to die because we need to make sure a patients wishes are followed regardless of what we feel. Once someone has been ill for so long or has a disease we can't do anything about and the end is gonna be death, why should it have to be long and painful or so taxing dying is traumatic when it doesn't have to be? We all are gonna die and it shouldn't be feared or an experience that is awful and we can do things to ensure it isn't. If we do all that is possible for someone who wants that why not do all possible to keep a patient from dying in distress? I hope people stop fearing death knowing if the time comes we are gonna make it a peaceful and keep them in control of their passing then maybe it will be viewed as nothing to fear but another part of their life.

This is an example of the false dichotomy or dilemma.

[h=2]False dilemma[/h]A false dilemma is a type of informal fallacy that involves a situation in which only limited alternatives are considered, when in fact there is at least one additional option. The opposite of this fallacy is argument to moderation.

Death does not have to be "long AND painful . . . taxing . . .traumatic".

Hospice can be the answer for many people.

The stats say the vast majority of people who decide to have a physician prescribe a med to end their life do not end up using it. If hospice steps in, we can manage pain and other symptoms.

It doesn't have to be such a bleak decision.

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If I had an excruciating terminal illness, I would imagine that I would want the option of death with dignity. Likewise, I would want my loved ones to have that option. But one day when I am a nurse, I cannot imagine helping in that process. I could not be the one to assist the patient because that means I played an active role in their death. I don't think it would be wrong for a nurse to assist with this, but I could not be the one to do it.

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I will not participate. It is against my religious belief. God will decide what day and time a person will die and I will not push the drugs that will bring them to death.

In all of the states which have passed a Death With Dignity Law, the laws specifically state that no one can be forced to participate in the event. And in none of the laws is it even legal for anyone to "push the drugs" in the first place. These simply involve a willing doctor prescribing a drug which the patient will self administer. No one in health care will have to compromise their beliefs, as the laws now stand.

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The great state of Oregon pioneered the The Right To Die with Washington state following suit and now others. The law in Oregon, as I'm sure it is in other states, only refers to terminal illness. It has nothing to do with advance directives or not wanting to be kept alive by artificial means or against your wishes. It's important to know the difference. One is euthanasia and the other is not. If I had a terminal illness and was racked with pain or trapped inside a useless body, you better believe I would exercise that right. I'm sick and tired of all the right wing loonies trying to abolish that right. If you don't want to do it, great. Just don't ever tell me what to do based on some twisted religious belief. This has nothing to with religion except your own. As far as I know, a physician must be present and is the one to administer the medications. The nurse may start the line and provide support to the patient and the family but he/she is not the one to give the meds. I'm not interested in debating this issue with the exception of ethical concerns. I will not engage with anyone based on religion.

This is not a "right wing loony" issue. This is quite literally life and death. It's also a concept that has not been thought about much until recently. Give people time to sort their thoughts out. It's almost disrespectful, both to the nurses here and the patients who are suffering, to dismiss this issue as quickly as you did.

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Specializes in Family Practice.

This is probably not a popular opinion but I support right to die and euthanasia. I'm atheist so I don't believe there is some higher power. I have assisted many a time in terminal weans in the ICU, sometimes in the event the patient wanted it.

The problem, IMO, with "right to die" is the patient is not always able to take the medication. What comes to mind is dementia patients. My grandma has had dementia for 15 years, physically her body is fine. But she no longer speaks, barely eats, doesn't know anyone or anything. What a pathetic existance. My mother says she wants a bullet to her brain before she suffers the same fate as my grandmother but there seems to be more humane ways.

But America is deeply religious and in the name of "God", science and freedom has a difficult time progressing.

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