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Norwegian nurses' perceptions of assisted dying requests from terminally ill patients—A qualitative interview study
Author(s) -
Hol Hege,
Vatne Solfrid,
Strømskag Kjell Erik,
Orøy Aud,
Rokstad Anne Marie Mork
Publication year - 2023
Publication title -
nursing inquiry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.66
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1800
pISSN - 1320-7881
DOI - 10.1111/nin.12517
Subject(s) - norwegian , terminally ill , feeling , qualitative research , taboo , nursing , distress , perception , palliative care , medicine , psychology , end of life care , assisted suicide , social psychology , psychiatry , clinical psychology , philosophy , linguistics , social science , neuroscience , sociology , political science , law
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.