Abstract:
The healthcare industry in these countries identify nurses as one of the groups with the largest number of healthcare professionals. This proves that their roles are one of the most important when executing euthanasia, as proven in many studies that identify nurses as directly involved in the processing of euthanasia. This however, raises questions about the nurses’ attitudes and opinions towards practicing euthanasia. There is a need to question their opinions and beliefs regarding euthanasia and their role in the administering of lethal drugs. If they are not confident with what they do, they may experience fear, which may affect the delivery of the lethal drug. As reflected in this abstract research report, nurses should only focus on the delivery of palliative care and not the execution of euthanasia.
Part 1: Introduction
This project focuses on the ability of students to formulate and hypothetically develop a research project. Therefore, its aim is to develop an abstract submission to a specific nursing journal that is concurrently being used these days. One of the more prominent nursing journals nowadays is the American Nurses Association or ANA, in which their author submission guidelines for the manuscript preparation consist of the following: (1) title page; (2) biosketch of authors; (3) abstract; (4) key words; (5) text of article; (6) protection of human subjects; (7) references; (8) formatting; and (9) artwork and figures (American Nurses Association, 2016). For this particular research project, however, it will make use of the highlighted steps consisting of the following: (1) title of project; (2) problem statement; (3) purpose of the project; (4) research questions; (5) hypothesis; (6) methodology; (7) steps in implementing the project; (8) results; and (9) conclusion. These will be the steps used in this research project that is centered on the nurses’ perception towards practicing euthanasia.
Part 2: Research Steps
Below is an abstract submission of a research project to a specific nursing journal, such as the American Nurses Association. The highlighted steps, however, do not convey the steps in the nursing association’s author submission guidelines, since it should include a problem statement, purpose of the project, research questions, hypothesis, as well as others. Meanwhile, the American Nurses Association (ANA) was chosen because of its outstanding researching services offered to the public, in connection to healthcare and the nurses’ roles in many aspects being confronted. It is a peer-reviewed journal, and the topics involve the wider sector of healthcare, including research, education, as well as the nursing practice.
Problem Statement:
Euthanasia, defined as “the administering of drugs with the explicit intention to end the patient’s life at the patient’s explicit request” (Inghelbrecht et al., 2009, p.1210), usually occurs in developed countries like the United States and those in Europe. The healthcare industry in these countries identify nurses as one of the groups with the largest number of healthcare professionals. This proves that their roles are one of the most important when executing euthanasia, as proven in many studies that identify nurses as “explicitly involved in the euthanasia process itself” (Inghelbrecht et al., 2009, p.1210). According to Inghelbrecht et al. (2009, p.1210), one in every four nurses has been directly requested by a patient to conduct euthanasia, which proves the eminent role of nurses in administering euthanasia. This however, raises questions about the nurses’ attitudes and opinions towards practicing euthanasia, since it should reflect that whatever a person does they should also approve. Are they positive about executing forced killing of patients who suffer indefinitely?
Purpose of the Project:
It has always been said that nurses should always have moral courage to overcome their fear and execute actions that may conflict with their beliefs and core values. If they do not overcome their fear, they may not have the courage to do what is being ordered to them. As Janie Butts (2013) repeated the idea of Lachman (2007), she stated that “moral courage turns principles into actions” (p.91). There are other threats that can take place when a person does not have the courage to execute actions, and among these are humiliation, ridicule, rejection, unemployment, and the loss of social standing (Lachman, 2007, p.131). Thus, it is very important to understand the thoughts and attitude of nurses who process euthanasia to patients, even those who experience threats because they lack the courage to execute the action, so that it can define the nurses’ perception for better understanding. By understanding more the opinions and beliefs of these nurses, those in the healthcare industry would have enough understanding on the case of nurses being forced to execute euthanasia. Thus, they can improve the laws and principles governing the execution of euthanasia to patients, in relation to the nurses who help administer the process under the will of patients.
Research Questions
The research project’s aim is to identify, analyze and classify the perceptions and attitudes of nurses who have a role to play in the processing of euthanasia to patients in severe conditions. There will be two groups of research questions. The first batch of research questions center on the processing of euthanasia; while the second batch of research questions center on the role of nurses in the processing of euthanasia. Each batch will have five questions each, which will be delivered in the form of a questionnaire. Under the first batch of questions regarding euthanasia itself, nurses will be asked whether they agreed, disagree, or if they are neutral on the following points:
Using drugs in lethal doses under the request of the patient is acceptable for those experiencing terminal illness with extreme uncontrollable pain or distress.
If a terminally ill patient is suffering unbearably and is not capable of making his/her own decisions, and the physician is not available, the nurses should be allowed to administer drugs in lethal doses.
Putting the patient into a coma until death is a better alternative than euthanasia.
Permitting the use of drugs in lethal doses will gradually lead to an increase in the use of drugs in lethal doses without the request of the patient.
Permitting the use of drugs in lethal doses on the explicit request of the patient will harm the relationship between patients and nurses.
The following is the second batch of questions for nurses being surveyed in this research project, regarding the role of nurses in the processing of euthanasia:
Patients usually address their request for euthanasia to a nurse than to a physician.
Physicians would have to discuss the patient’s request for euthanasia with the nurses who have regular contact with the patient.
Whenever it is decided to administer drugs in lethal doses, it has to be discussed first with the involved nurses.
Administering drugs in euthanasia is a task that nurses should be allowed to perform.
In euthanasia, the nurse’s task is restricted to the care of the patient.
Hypothesis
It is most probable that most of the nurses that are to be surveyed would agree that euthanasia is deemed acceptable for patients suffering indefinitely from a terminal illness. Since nurses are the ones who often witness the pain and suffering of the patient, they are more likely to wish that the suffering would end. More so, it is more probable that the patient, or the family or kin of the patient, would address their request for euthanasia directly to a nurse than to a physician, since nurses are more often available to them at all times. However, it is most probable that many of the nurses would not be prepared or ready to administer lethal drugs to the patient, since this is often addressed by physicians. They would probably disagree that it is not the nurses’ role to administer lethal drugs to patients. Still, religion has a big role on the opinions of nurses regarding the administering of lethal drugs in euthanasia. Those who are more religious would likely be opposed to administering lethal drugs to patients, especially those who are Catholic, and they are more likely to insist on the use of palliative care until the death of the patient. Home care nurses would also probably be not prepared to administer lethal drugs to their patients, as they believe their task is solely connected to palliative care. However, many of the terminally ill patients usually stay inside hospital setting or in the hospice than in their homes, so they can be surer that immediate care is available to them 24/7. Home care nurses are usually for those who are not terminally ill.
Methodology
For best results, it is better to execute both quantitative research and qualitative research. For quantitative research, surveys will be used in gathering information from larger numbers, while qualitative research in the form of interviews, will be used in gathering information in lesser, more distinctive numbers. The qualitative method, however, will only be used to assist the quantitative method, and that the main method that will be used is the gathering of information via surveys, which is the quantitative method of doing research.
Steps in Implementing the Project
In implementing the project, a postal questionnaire will be sent to a random 600 nurses in New York City. The sample will be taken from a federal government database, wherein nurses who are 55 years younger will be chosen to receive the questionnaire, together with a letter of recommendation signed by major nursing professional organizations within New York City. The questionnaire, however, will consist of the 10 statements written in the previous pages, which the nurses will answer if they agree, disagree, or if they are neutral. They will also be requested to indicate their experiences in palliative care and their experiences in the processing of euthanasia. Data analysis will be done using SPSS16.0.
Results
It is most probable that out of the 600 questionnaire delivered to the nurses, about 5-10 of them will be returned because the respondent cannot be reached or contacted. Most of them would most likely be female, and older than 35 years old. A greater proportion of them would likely be Catholic, and most of them would have experienced caring for a dying patient. They may have worked in the hospital, in a caring unit, hospice, or at home. However, many of them would most likely approve of the need to deliver drugs in lethal doses, especially if the patient is experiencing excruciating pain and suffers indefinitely.
Conclusion
This research project shows that there is broad support for euthanasia among nurses working in New York City, especially for terminally ill patients who suffers indefinitely or is in continuous comatose. If they are positive about the use of euthanasia to patients, but are not ready to administer drugs in lethal doses to the patient, then it is evident that nurses should only assist in the delivery of palliative care and not the administering of drugs. The processing and administering of euthanasia is the task of the physician, and nurses should only assist them with the aid of the physician. Otherwise, the nurses will experience constant fear in the delivery of lethal drugs in large doses, and can negatively affect the delivery, which may end up to be unsuccessful, or may lead to grave danger if not rendered properly.
Part 3: How the Project Impacts the Nursing Career
This hypothetical project can have a great impact in the nursing career because it clearly reflects the views and opinions of the nurses, in connection to administering euthanasia to patients who are gravely suffering from extreme pain and distress. Nurses who are not ready to administer euthanasia should not be forced to do so, even with the request of the patient themselves. This may induce pain to the nurses, and can even to other disturbing results, since the nurses appear to be unfit in the delivery of lethal drugs to the patient. As Dax Cowart (1998) mentioned in his interview, “Freedom, true freedom, not only gives us the right to make the correct choices; it also has to give us the right sometimes to make the wrong choices” (Burt, 1998, p.17). Applying this to the case, there is evidence that the right and freedom to administer euthanasia should only be given to those who are knowledgeable under the circumstance, and have enough experiences to administer this ethical act of suicide. Nurses should not be included, as they should only focus on the delivery of palliative care.
References:
American Nurses Association. (2016). Author submission guidelines. Retrieved July 29, 2016 from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/AuthorInformation.
Burt, R.A. (1998). Confronting death: who chooses? Who controls? A dialogue between Dax Cowart and Robert Burt. Hastings Center Report, January-February 1998 series, 14-24.
Butts, J.B. (2013). “Chapter 3: Ethics in professional nursing practice.” In J.B. Butts & K.L. Rich’s (Eds.), Nursing ethics: across the curriculum and into practice (pp.81-117). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Print.
Inghelbrecht, E., Bilsen, J., Mortier, F., & Deliens, L. (2009). Attitudes of nurses towards euthanasia and towards their role in euthanasia: A nationwide study in Flanders, Belgium. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 46(1), 1209-1218. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2009.02.009
Lachman, V.D. (2007). Moral courage: A virtue in need of development? MedSurg Nursing, 16(2), 131-133.
