We, the undersigned, share the following convictions and ask the American Nurse Association to revise their draft position statement, “The Nurse’s Role When a Patient Requests Aid in Dying,” in such a way that it no longer expresses support for assisted suicide.
The delivery of high-quality, compassionate care for patients at the end-of-life is central to nursing practice. Hallmarks of end-of-life care include respect for patient self-determination; non-judgmental support for patients’ end-of-life preferences and values, to the extent that these preferences do not violate the proper human dignity of the patient or anyone else, nor constitute an assault on the person of the patient or others, nor constitute an attack on the moral integrity of the nurse, or the nursing profession; and prevention and alleviation of suffering, though never by means of the elimination of the patient.
In states where assisted suicide is legal, patient self-determination has been legally extended to include a patient’s autonomous, voluntary choice and informed request to self-administer drugs to hasten death. However, the legal permission of one person to perform an act cannot be construed as a command that others bring it about. The American Nursing Association should remain utterly opposed to the practice of assisting in suicide, and should resist any attempt by advocates of this practice to corrupt the nursing profession and the relationship of trust and care between the nurse and the patient.
We believe ...
- Compassionate, competent care and true respect for the proper autonomy of the patient are incompatible with the practice of assisted suicide.
- Respect for the patient’s dignity by respecting the patient’s autonomy cannot be reduced to acquiescing to the patient's every request. Some patient requests are dangerous or harmful to the patient, or compromise the integrity of the nurse's role as healer and caregiver.
- It is impossible for nurses to establish a relationship of trust with patients if one of the options is to help the patient kill him-or-herself.
- There is need for increased awareness and use of proper palliative care, and of any and all moral means to alleviate patient suffering and, equally importantly, patient fear about dying and suffering at the end of life.
We ask that nurses stand together and promise in difficult moments to take our hand, not our life. Please remain devoted to offering all patients true compassionate care.
This petition is organized by the Minnesota Alliance for Ethical Healthcare.
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