Legalization of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

Paper Summary:

Discusses implications for nursing care of Euthanasia. Argues that legalization of end-of-life options makes sense. Debate over issue. Varied definitions of passive euthanasia & assisted suicide. Issue of patient autonomy. Responsibilities of nurses to safeguard patients; their supportive role in health care. Following the orders of physicians. ANA code.

From the Paper:

"This research examines whether assisted suicide and euthanasia should be legalized and the implications for nursing care. The position taken herein is that legalization makes sense. However, that position should not be confused with an endorsement of assisted suicide and euthanasia. That is, the fact of legalization of end-of-life options for patients and caregivers does not carry with it a mandate for acting them out.


In recent years, the issue of euthanasia has come up before the legislatures of many states. But debate has been problematic for a variety of reasons. To begin with, there are problems connected with discussing euthanasia from a philosophical standpoint alone. That is because philosophy overlaps into law, public policy, medical practice, and medical administration. Another problem is that there is no single definition of..."

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