Nurses s Role For The Care Of Their Patients - 1838 Words

NURSES ROLE IN EUTHANASIA PATRICIA RANAUDO SULLIVAN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE NUR2030 Abstract Nurses play a very important role in the care of their patients, however, not all of this care is without controversy. This paper addresses the role that nurses have in the process of euthanasia and how this role is directly impacted by one’s own ethical and moral beliefs. Several studies looked at the importance of the nurse’s role during euthanasia and what nurses deem important and necessary during the process. Common factors that have a role in how a nurse addresses and participates in euthanasia include: the nurse/patient relationship, the ability to communicate with the patient, patient’s family and other health care†¦show more content†¦Euthanasia can be either passive, active, active voluntary, active involuntary. According to Dyer (1999), active euthanasia refers to actions that are followed by the purpose of ending a patient’s life while passive euthanasia refers to allowing a patient to die, with no attempt to neither quicken nor prolong the process, even if the means to do so are available. The act of euthanasia is one of great controversy and one that can cause moral and ethical dilemmas for the patient, his or her family as well as the health care team. Dyer (1999) also feels that as nurses, there may be times when we encounter a terminally ill patient who wishes to hasten their death to end or avoid suffering. If faced with such a situation, how would the situation be approached as a nurse, what role would the nurse play and traditionally, and where do nurses fit in during this process? According to the ANA (2013), the collaborative efforts of the health care team are important in the care of the patients at the end of life. During this stage, patients and their families have a variety of needs that should be addressed and taken into consideration. These needs should be understood and taken into consideration in order to provide the best care possible for the all. Discussion It is through the day-to-day interaction and care of the critically ill, that nurses discover what the requests and needs are of those seeking to participate in euthanasia