Introduction
Euthanasia is one of the most challenging topics in the healthcare field, as it revolves around one’s direct participation in another person’s death, breaking the essential vows of medical workers. It is described as medical assistance in an individual’s wish to end their life, which is often linked to ending their suffering and debilitating illness effects (Gill, 2019). However, there are many blocks on the path toward its clear comprehension.
It remains essential to analyze how further development of this subject can be improved through the lens of nursing studies. While this process relies on an interdisciplinary team to be completed accurately, nurses are involved in every part, making their knowledge of the topic and related areas a matter of utmost importance. The subject of assisted dying and its ethical implications for nursing personnel remains uncertain due to the lack of discussion about it.
Ethical Aspects of Euthanasia
Euthanasia poses numerous moral and ethical issues for physicians, nurses, and individuals who decide to take this route. This procedure remains prohibited in multiple countries, as debates regarding it remain heated due to ethical, legal, and medical concerns posed by one’s desire to end one’s life (Gill, 2019). Thus, the conditions for its complete integration into the scientific field are not fully met.
First, society’s attitude toward medical assistance in dying must be positive for such a notion to become permissible (Khatony et al., 2021). Second, the eligibility for such a drastic measure is challenging to determine objectively. There are cases where further medical assistance would bring no improvement to a patient’s condition, leaving them hopeless and gradually losing their bodily functions (Gill, 2019). Even treatable conditions may also entail suffering beyond what a patient is willing to accept, causing them to consider taking their own life. Euthanasia gives the ability to stop this deterioration, allowing a person a degree of autonomy and the possibility to die with dignity.
The Canadian healthcare system can be used as an example of this development. To address society’s concerns about the consequences of this permission, it was essential for professionals to develop a comprehensive system that prevents as many unnecessary end-of-life procedures as possible (Brooks, 2019). Several barriers that serve as checkpoints against hasty decisions were put in place, such as mandatory consultations, strict controls on the distribution of life-ending medications, and others. Furthermore, a framework for nurses and physicians to express their willingness to participate in euthanasia had to be outlined(Brooks, 2019). This notion allowed Canadian healthcare workers to avoid breaking their moral principles at work while also ensuring that a sufficient number of specialists became available for individuals who requested euthanasia.
Ethics of Euthanasia for Nurses
Nurses are involved at every step of this complex procedure, putting them at the forefront of its associated issues. These workers must be able to provide support in euthanasia ethically and be educated to do so in an informed manner. The preservation of one’s dignity is already paramount for medical personnel and must be extended to incorporate a patient’s will to the extreme (Bellon et al., 2022).
However, this approach also requires extensive training, experience, and personality traits that enable people to communicate well about challenging subjects. The American Nursing Association’s (ANA) Code of Ethics is inconsistent in its guidelines revolving around euthanasia since the procedure is strictly prohibited in the U.S., and workers are barred from participating in such processes (Stokes, 2019). However, it does mention the need to know how to discuss this subject with patients considering this option. The ANA’s guidelines can serve as a starting point for further discussion of nurses’ involvement in medical assistance in dying.
There are specific skills required for nurses to remain ethical throughout the entire ordeal. Their comprehension of the importance of patient autonomy is paramount, as is their neutrality in decision-making (Gill, 2019). They must respect an individual’s plight to release them from suffering, regardless of their feelings. Nurses must also understand why the legalization of this procedure may be favorable for some individuals and refrain from criticizing others’ decisions (Khatony et al., 2021). There are inevitable processes that can lead one to take such drastic action, and judgment does not improve its outcomes.
Another vital aspect of this process that puts this subject at the top of the list for scientific research is the social implications of assisted dying. Nurses have to possess social skills to talk to people who are depressed and desperate, as well as the mental capacity to do so for prolonged periods without getting attached. This requirement makes it vital to review current healthcare education that does not adequately address this subject. Nurses must also be knowledgeable about how to deliver information about a person’s death to their relatives and friends (Bellon et al., 2022). Such contacts may be exceedingly unpleasant, and nurses must strive to minimize the detrimental impact of this type of news.
Furthermore, it is essential to allow nurses to decide whether to participate in such procedures, as this is a heavy emotional burden for many. There is a necessity to consider one’s religion, worldview, culture, and personal values, which makes it a strictly private matter (Bellon et al., 2022). Objectivity plays a crucial role in nurses’ assistance in end-of-life procedures. Thus, if a healthcare employee comprehends that they will be unable to prevent their subjective views from affecting their professional activities, they should refuse to cooperate on such requests before they are assigned to them. If the ethical aspects are not considered for all involved stakeholders, employees will burn out at an exceedingly high rate.
Support from Scientific Articles Review
Peer-reviewed articles revolving around this subject support the paper’s thesis and reveal uncertainties that prevent a clear path to a unified consensus regarding euthanasia. While the majority of Western countries’ citizens view medically assisted dying as permissible, it remains taboo for many other nations to consider its possibility (Khatony et al., 2021). There are culturally sensitive aspects to this matter that researchers portray as barriers to analysis.
Religious communities are especially opposed to this notion, as life is viewed as sacred in many faiths regardless of circumstances (Khatony et al., 2021). Some studies take a philosophical approach to analyzing the issue. From the point of view of beneficence and utilitarianism, removing exceedingly harmful elements from a person’s life that cannot be eradicated otherwise results in a net positive (Gill, 2019). In total, the most problematic aspects of medical assistance in dying are the degree of suffering that suffices, the permissibility of such an act, and the sacredness of life. Therefore, the first gap is the path toward the possibility of this procedure in different settings.
Many articles recognize that nurses’ role in euthanasia and decisions around it are discussed insufficiently despite the impact this procedure has on workers’ workflow, professional choices, and emotional states. The scientific literature reveals the fact that euthanasia is rarely analyzed from a nurse’s perspective, as many international studies often focus on physicians’ involvement (Brooks, 2019). There are apparent problems with this approach, as it makes it challenging for governments and society as a whole to reach a consensus without considering the voices of all stakeholders. This gap prevents many medical workers from making vital contributions to existing studies. Future research may explore what guidelines can lead to an environment that will not force individuals to live through pain due to the lack of comprehension of the subject by their doctors.
Conclusion
In summary, euthanasia is a sensitive subject that requires healthcare workers and nurses, in particular, to conduct an in-depth analysis of the situation and apply various professional and social skills. Despite being prohibited in the United States, assisted suicides are an inevitable part of the healthcare system, and medics must possess the knowledge on how to deal with them, mainly due to the immense impact of their outcomes. Nurses may get involved in this process depending on their specialization. They must be able to help patients considering this path make an informed decision without violating ethical or legal boundaries.
This topic remains in the crosshairs of the scientific community of nursing professionals, as many uncertainties and sensitivities prevent a clear conclusion regarding the ethical side of euthanasia. Furthermore, sensitivities stemming from culture, religion, and beliefs also hinder this process. Therefore, there is a need to create an open dialogue between the international community of healthcare specialists and develop a path that will weigh both the positive and adverse effects of euthanasia appropriately.
References
Bellon, F., Mateos, J. T., Pastells-Peiró, R., Espigares-Tribó, G., Gea-Sánchez, M., & Rubinat-Arnaldo, E. (2022). The role of nurses in euthanasia: A scoping review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 134.
Brooks, L. (2019). Health care provider experiences of and perspectives on medical assistance in dying: A scoping review of qualitative studies. Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue Canadienne du Vieillissement, 38(3), 384-396.
Gill, B. K. (2019). Euthanasia and nurses’ role in it. Archives of Clinical Case Studies, 2(1).
Khatony, A., Fallahi, M., Rezaei, M., & Mahdavikian, S. (2021). Comparison of attitude of nurses and nursing students toward euthanasia. Nursing Ethics, 29(1), 208-216.
Stokes, L. (2019). ANA position statement: The nurse’s role when a patient requests medical aid in dying. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 24(3).