Attitudes About Assisted Suicide

Results from recent survey about nursing attitudes, towards assisted suicide, reveal some interesting facts.

 

Survey results:

 

48% of nurses have been asked to help a patient end their life.

 

12% of nurses have restricted patient medication for fear of prosecution.

 

33% of nurses do not understand the law on assisted suicide.

 

Source:  Nursing Times online survey of 2,311 nurses May 2010.

 

Dying patients denied pain relief because of legal fears.

 

The title of the survey was "Assisted Suicide: Are nurses under pressure?" Everyone knows the results of the survey are dependent on the questions asked.

 

More than 1 in 10 if the 2,311 respondents to the online survey of nurses said, they had restricted a patient's medication, despite that exacerbate symptoms, as they were concerned about being prosecuted. They acknowledged restricting medications left patients in more pain, and prolonged their lives against their wishes.

 

One nurse stated, "I was worried about the authorities scrutinizing the medication record, with the intention of prosecuting me for over-medication, even though the dosage was ordered by a physician and necessary to relieve the patient's pain and suffering."

 

Another nurse stated, "Giving opiates could reduce pain, but increase respiratory depression. I am acutely aware, that my actions within my role, could result in not being able to practice, or legal proceedings. Increasing medication can be a difficult balancing act." The Nursing and Midwifery Council code of conduct require nurses always to act in the patient's best interest. Nurses who act in the best interest of the patient, and within the prescription made for the patient, should not be prosecuted. "But the fear is there, and the anxiety has been planted. It's an urgent issue and nurses need to know where they stand."

 

Simon Chapman said, better training would help remove myths and misunderstandings. He further stated, "Nurses need to understand there is a significant difference in increasing drug dose in small increments to control pain, and increasing them in such large doses, that life is threatened."

 

The survey reports, that only 1 in 3 of the respondents said, they did not understand the legal position of nurses, with regards to assisted suicide. Respondents to the survey stated, "Doctors and nurses are scared to think about this, in case they are sued for overdosing the patient. "There is a tendency to under-prescribe pain relief, even among the palliative care team. "The fear of accusations of assisting/hastening someone's death means,that patients who are at the end of life, are being denied a pain free death."

 

Comments from the survey reveal nurses felt they could not always administer enough medication to control a patient's symptoms because doctors were not prescribing adequate amounts for fear of being prosecuted themselves. However, British Medical Association head of science and ethics, Vivienne Nathanson, said, "Most doctors understand the concept of "double effect". "If you give a dose that might shorten life, because you are giving it to get rid of pain, that is a side effect. It is not the desired effect, so it is not criminal or unacceptable," she said.

 

Commenting on this article, Nancy Valko RN, had the following thoughts. "Because of the way the questions were worded, I wonder about the agenda of the people conducting the survey. "I wondered now, even more, when I see this kind of article that seems to suggest, that fear of prosecution keeps many nurses from giving adequate pain medication. "Does this subtly argue for legalizing assisted suicide, so nurses will have no fear in giving pain meds in any dosage." 

 

Those would be my observations also.