Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide Knowledge, attitudes and experiences of nurses in Andalusia (Spain)

• Published in: Nursing ethics Vol. 19; no. 5; pp. 677 - 691
• Main Authors: Tamayo-Velázquez, María-Isabel, Simón-Lorda, Pablo, Cruz-Piqueras, Maite
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.09.2012; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Advance directives; Assisted suicide; Attitudes; Death & dying; Ethics, Nursing; Euthanasia; Euthanasia - legislation & jurisprudence; Euthanasia - psychology; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Internet; Nurses; Nurses - statistics & numerical data; Nursing; Palliative care; Professional ethics; Professionals; Public health; Right to die; Spain; Suicide, Assisted; Spain; United States > US; end-of-life; euthanasia; physician-assisted suicide; experiences; Nurses; attitudes
• ISSN: 0969-7330; 1477-0989
• DOI: 10.1177/0969733011436203

The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes and experiences of Spanish nurses in relation to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. In an online questionnaire completed by 390 nurses from Andalusia, 59.1% adequately identified a euthanasia situation and 64.1% a situation involving physician-assisted suicide. Around 69% were aware that both practices were illegal in Spain, while 21.4% had received requests for euthanasia and a further 7.8% for assisted suicide. A total of 22.6% believed that cases of euthanasia had occurred in Spain and 11.4% believed the same for assisted suicide. There was greater support (70%) for legalisation of euthanasia than for assisted suicide (65%), combined with a greater predisposition towards carrying out euthanasia (54%), if it were to be legalised, than participating in assisted suicide (47.3%). Nurses in Andalusia should be offered more education about issues pertaining to the end of life, and extensive research into this area should be undertaken.