Patient assisted suicide is against the American Nurse's Associaiton (ANA) Code of Ethics. The nurse’s role is to comfort, to seek means to open communication, to address pain management, and to advocate for the patient. In the situation of terminal illness or imminent death the nurse’s role is not to hasten the death process, it is to diminish the pain and suffering components of the death process. The role is to create an environment of health in the death process. An environment of health in the death process is directly related to actively embracing the moral principles of respect of autonomy, beneficence, and human dignity. Embracing moral principles is necessary for the nurse to be able to make ethical choices ("American Nurses Association", 2012).
Have you ever had a patient or family situation where you need to establish this professional boundary and teach them your role in the death process of the terminally ill patient?
"American Nurses Association" (2012). Code of ethics. Retrieved from http://nursingworld.org/codeofethics
Hi Deb, as a Hospice nurse, believe it or not, I've never felt like I was in a situation with an ethical twist attached. I suppose it was an understanding up front that I was there for comfort measure, there was a professional and therapeutic agreement and I just felt good about the work I did. Yet, thanks so much for an interesting blog!
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