Faculty of Health Science and Social Care, Molde University College, Molde, Norway.
Molde Hospital, Molde, Norway.
Nurs Inq. 2023 Jan;30(1):e12517. doi: 10.1111/nin.12517. Epub 2022 Aug 16.
This study explores the perceptions of Norwegian nurses who have received assisted dying requests from terminally ill patients. Assisted dying is illegal in Norway, while in some countries, it is an option. Nurses caring for terminally ill patients may experience ethical challenges by receiving requests for euthanasia and assisted suicide. We applied a qualitative research design with a phenomenological hermeneutic approach using open individual interviews. A total of 15 registered nurses employed in pulmonary and oncology wards of three university hospitals and home care in one municipality were recruited. Four themes emerged from the analysis: (1) unprepared for the request; (2) meeting direct, indirect, and nonverbal requests; (3) working in a gray zone, and (4) feeling alone and powerless. The study found that nurses were unsure how to handle such requests due to professional uncertainty about assisted dying. Working in an environment where the topic is taboo made nurses morally uncertain, and some perceived this as moral distress. The hospital chaplain played a significant role in providing support to these nurses.
本研究探讨了挪威护士对绝症患者辅助自杀请求的看法。在挪威，辅助自杀是非法的，而在一些国家，这是一种选择。照顾绝症患者的护士可能会因为收到安乐死和协助自杀的请求而面临伦理挑战。我们采用了定性研究设计，采用现象学解释学方法，使用开放式个人访谈。总共招募了来自三所大学医院的肺病和肿瘤科病房以及一个市的家庭护理的 15 名注册护士。分析中出现了四个主题：（1）对请求没有准备；（2）满足直接、间接和非言语请求；（3）在灰色地带工作；（4）感到孤独和无能为力。研究发现，护士们由于对辅助自杀的专业不确定性而不确定如何处理这些请求。在一个禁忌讨论这个话题的环境中，护士们在道德上感到不确定，一些人认为这是道德上的痛苦。医院牧师在为这些护士提供支持方面发挥了重要作用。
