Archer Madeleine, Willmott Lindy, Chambaere Kenneth, Deliens Luc, White Ben P
Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.
Omega (Westport). 2023 Dec 14:302228231221839. doi: 10.1177/00302228231221839.
Multiple sources of regulation seek to shape euthanasia practice in Belgium, including legislation and training. This study comprehensively mapped which of these sources govern which domains of euthanasia practice, such health professionals' obligations, or managing patient requests.
Scoping review methodology was used to search for scholarly records which discussed Belgian euthanasia regulation. Template analysis was used to generate themes describing the domains of euthanasia practice governed by sources of regulation.
Of 1364 records screened, 107 records were included. Multiple sources of regulation govern each domain, which are: the permissible scope of euthanasia; the legal status of a euthanasia death; the euthanasia process; the rights, obligations, and roles of those involved; system workings; and support for health professionals who provide euthanasia.
Domains with significant yet fragmented regulation may lead to inconsistent care provision. Policymakers should develop coherent guidance to support health professionals to navigate this regulatory landscape.
包括立法和培训在内的多种监管来源试图规范比利时的安乐死实践。本研究全面梳理了这些来源中的哪些对安乐死实践的哪些领域进行监管,如卫生专业人员的义务或处理患者请求。
采用范围综述方法检索讨论比利时安乐死监管的学术记录。使用模板分析生成描述受监管来源支配的安乐死实践领域的主题。
在筛选的1364条记录中,纳入了107条记录。多个监管来源支配着每个领域,这些领域包括:安乐死的允许范围;安乐死死亡的法律地位;安乐死过程;相关人员的权利、义务和角色;系统运作;以及对提供安乐死的卫生专业人员的支持。
监管力度大但分散的领域可能导致护理提供不一致。政策制定者应制定连贯的指导方针,以支持卫生专业人员应对这一监管环境。