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Comparative Study
. 2019 Jul/Sep;42(3):216-230.
doi: 10.1097/ANS.0000000000000276.

Ethical, Policy, and Practice Implications of Nurses' Experiences With Assisted Death: A Synthesis

Barbara Pesut  1 , Sally Thorne, Madeleine Greig, Adam Fulton, Robert Janke, Mathew Vis-Dunbar
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Ethical, Policy, and Practice Implications of Nurses' Experiences With Assisted Death: A Synthesis

Barbara Pesut et al. ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 2019 Jul/Sep.

Abstract

The conceptualization of assisted death as an act performed by physicians has resulted in a lack of attention to nurses' roles and experiences with the processes that surround an assisted death. In this article, we synthesize evidence from 6 articles focusing on the experiences of 55 nurses from Canada, Belgium, and the Netherlands, with relevant ethical and policy implications derived from the literature. Nurses have a central role in negotiating inquiries about assisted death and in providing wraparound care for patients, families, and other health care providers. This role is impactful for nurses and requires significant personal and professional moral work.

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References

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