Csikai E L
Stephen F. Austin State University, School of Social Work, Nacogdoches, TX 75061, USA.
Soc Work Health Care. 1999;30(1):51-73. doi: 10.1300/j010v30n01_04.
Euthanasia and assisted suicide are the subjects of increasing controversy in the health care setting. In this study of 122 hospital social workers' attitudes toward euthanasia and assisted suicide, many respondents reported agreement that both practices may be ethical, should be legal in some situations, and that they would be willing to participate in the practices. Almost one-fourth of the respondents have been asked by patients and families during their careers to discuss euthanasia and assisted suicide. The social workers also identified situations in which euthanasia and assisted suicide may be appropriate and safeguards that should apply if practices are legalized. Preparation for requests to discuss these practices, through awareness of their own beliefs and attitudes and becoming knowledgeable about current controversies, policies, and practices, is essential. By doing so, social workers will be ready to seize the opportunity to emerge as leaders of multidisciplinary discussion of complex ethical issues in health care.
安乐死和协助自杀在医疗环境中引发的争议日益增多。在这项针对122名医院社会工作者对安乐死和协助自杀态度的研究中，许多受访者表示认同这两种做法可能符合伦理道德，在某些情况下应该合法化，并且他们愿意参与其中。近四分之一的受访者在其职业生涯中曾被患者及其家属要求讨论安乐死和协助自杀。社会工作者还确定了安乐死和协助自杀可能适用的情形，以及如果这些做法合法化应适用的保障措施。通过了解自己的信仰和态度，并熟悉当前的争议、政策和做法，为讨论这些做法的请求做好准备至关重要。这样做，社会工作者将准备好抓住机会，成为医疗保健领域复杂伦理问题多学科讨论的领导者。
