'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?

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 is so beautifully stated!! It is what i have always thought, but could not put into words!!!

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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.

Although I bet you interfere with God's plan every day you go to work, I think you should always have the right to not participate.

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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.

Thanks Purple_roses.

It certainly is not a "right wing loony" issue.

As stated earlier, look up the January 2016 issue of JAMA. Lots of really good pro/con opinion pieces there and it helps us understand each other better. With the real medical information and not mixing up euthanasia and physician assisted death.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I think there's some confusion that comes from improper use of the term euthanasia. Euthanasia refers to two very, very different things; involuntary euthanasia and voluntary euthanasia. Involuntary euthanasia is what we also call murder, and I don't know of any real advocacy in the medical or nursing community to allow murder. Voluntary euthanasia is the practice of ending life in a painless way and without suffering. Physician assisted suicide is at least closely related to, if not within the definition of voluntary euthanasia.

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I think there's some confusion that comes from improper use of the term euthanasia. Euthanasia refers to two very, very different things; involuntary euthanasia and voluntary euthanasia. Involuntary euthanasia is what we also call murder, and I don't know of any real advocacy in the medical or nursing community to allow murder. Voluntary euthanasia is the practice of ending life in a painless way and without suffering. Physician assisted suicide is at least closely related to, if not within the definition of voluntary euthanasia.

Yeah, it can get iffy and there could be a slippery slope . . . but Physician Assisted Death/Suicide is simply writing the Rx for the med and the patient takes it.

No medical person needs to be there.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

I'm for self-determination; and if it comes down to administering medications, I have no qualms caring for a patient that has made the decision to end their life on their own terms.

I've seen more "difficult" deaths than "peaceful" deaths in my 15 years in healthcare; the last "peaceful" death I was was over 10 years ago.

I have witnessed children decline in front of my eyes; parents in denial and not wanting to be there to find their children dead; they wanted nursing to be there; I have pts decline and have wounds everywhere and in constant pain and the meds not give any comfort.

Maybe due to my own reflective nature when I have experienced a near-death experience, and the struggle of being in a dying process has made me more reflective that if I had a terminal illness and couldn't fight it anymore and the options were that death was in the near future, I want the ability and help if I were to be incapacitated to be assisted in hastening my death-I would like the next time I face death to be completely peaceful.

I don't want the feel of panic, the feel of restlessness when adrenaline is at an all time high due to the body shutting down-it was uncomfortable and I don't want to have those feeling when I die; it may seem cowardly but feeling your life slip away is a frightening thing; I want to have control over that-the last time I didn't, and maybe in my own unusual way I want to have control over something in my life and make it on my own terms; I live my life that way, why shouldn't I die that way, especially when death is inevitable, and why would I not support that for my pts?

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I'm for self-determination; and if it comes down to administering medications, I have no qualms caring for a patient that has made the decision to end their life on their own terms.

I've seen more "difficult" deaths than "peaceful" deaths in my 15 years in healthcare; the last "peaceful" death I was was over 10 years ago.

Hi LadyFree. Were these "difficult" deaths with hospice patients? Just wondering.

I've been a hospice nurse for about 10 years and one of the challenges for us is getting physicians to refer in a timely manner and not just in the last day or so before a death. Dr. Ira Byock is a great resource for hospice and palliative care and has managed to do some teaching to new physicians and "older" physicians and has written many books about hospice.

But we still have a long way to go to get dying patients the palliative help they need in a timely manner. I really think if hospice got involved sooner, we'd have less "difficult" deaths.

I am not saying that I've never experienced a difficult dying process in hospice; there have been a few. However, the vast majority of patient are helped by palliative and hospice care.

I don't think this has to be an "either/or" situation. Either you die in agony or you kill yourself.

Admittedly, I will say that my own mom died in an Dementia/Alzheimers unit of something besides the dementia. She was diagnosed about 5 years before she died. It was a heartbreaking thing to watch. So, I completely understand the thoughts and feelings about looking into my own future and wondering about dementia . . .

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I have no problem with it at all. As long as my resident is alert and oriented and is able to verbalize his/her needs. I would do the same thing for myself than to suffer from painful or incurable disease. After all, my resident's needs and wants are my main priorities.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Hi LadyFree. Were these "difficult" deaths with hospice patients? Just wondering.

I've been a hospice nurse for about 10 years and one of the challenges for us is getting physicians to refer in a timely manner and not just in the last day or so before a death. Dr. Ira Byock is a great resource for hospice and palliative care and has managed to do some teaching to new physicians and "older" physicians and has written many books about hospice.

But we still have a long way to go to get dying patients the palliative help they need in a timely manner. I really think if hospice got involved sooner, we'd have less "difficult" deaths.

I am not saying that I've never experienced a difficult dying process in hospice; there have been a few. However, the vast majority of patient are helped by palliative and hospice care.

I don't think this has to be an "either/or" situation. Either you die in agony or you kill yourself.

Admittedly, I will say that my own mom died in an Dementia/Alzheimers unit of something besides the dementia. She was diagnosed about 5 years before she died. It was a heartbreaking thing to watch. So, I completely understand the thoughts and feelings about looking into my own future and wondering about dementia . . .

The ones I speak of were hospice pts.

My take is hospice does have a place should be more at the forefront during an end of life issue.

I have worked closely with hospice for over 20 years, from Peds to Older Adults; I am one to suggest Hospice for many of my pts, in part because I was a hospice volunteer, and worked closely with a local hospice.

Despite the hospice measures, they still had a rough time during their treatment, despite early intervention.

My other take is if someone does not want to have a difficult death and want the decision to not be an agony, has run out of all options, then "right to die" also has its place; having the option to take medication and sleep to peace is not a terrible option, mostly due to my experience facing death, I can understand if someone wants that control.

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Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

I do not have an issue with it especially for terminal where the person has made their wishes known. I have witnessed many painful/uncomfortable deaths and I certainly would not want to experience that. The doses of medicine I have given at those times would be lethal to a non-dying individual.

Of course there is a line and there are special situations where I may feel differently.

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The ones I speak of were hospice pts.

That is sad. I'm sorry.

Each hospice is different of course; like every hospital or clinic or lab.

Personally, as mentioned, I think physicians wait too long to refer. Even here locally, it has taken awhile for us to get through to the docs. They are better . . . but could be even better.

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That is sad. I'm sorry.

Each hospice is different of course; like every hospital or clinic or lab.

Personally, as mentioned, I think physicians wait too long to refer. Even here locally, it has taken awhile for us to get through to the docs. They are better . . . but could be even better.

I think that is the problem exactly. But it's not just the docs; people don't want to give up.

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