Nursing staff and euthanasia in the Netherlands. A nation-wide survey on attitudes and involvement in decision making and the performance of euthanasia

Objectives: To give insight into Dutch nursing staff’s attitudes and involvement regarding euthanasia.
Methods: The sample was recruited from a nation-wide existent research panel of registered nurses and
certified nursing assistants. Descriptive analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses were
performed.
Results: 587 respondents (response of 65%) completed the questionnaire. The majority (83%) state that
physicians have to discuss the decision about euthanasia with the nurses involved. Besides, 69% state that
a physician should discuss a euthanasia request with nurses who have regular contact with a patient.
Nursing staff who have religious or other beliefs that they consider important for their attitude towards
end-of-life decisions, and staff working in a hospital or home care, are most likely to have this opinion.
Being present during the euthanasia is quite unusual: only a small group (7%) report that this has ever
been the case in their entire working life. Seven% (incorrectly) think they are allowed to administer the
lethal drugs.
Conclusion: The majority want to be involved in decision-making processes about euthanasia. Not all are
aware that they are not legally allowed to administer the lethal drugs.
Practice implications: Nursing staff should be informed of relevant existing legislation and professional
guidelines.

Publication year:2016

Keywords:Euthanasia, Decisions, Palliative Care, Nursing

CSS-citation score:2

Authors:International