Flemish palliative care nurses’ attitudes toward euthanasia: a quantitative study

Abstract

To adequately measure the attitudes of Flemish palliative care nurses toward euthanasia, and assess the relationship between these attitudes and demographic factors and the (perceived) influence of experience in palliative care on death anxiety. An anonymous questionnaire was sent to all nurses (n=589) employed in palliative care in Flanders, Belgium: 70.5% of the nurses (n=415) responded. A majority of the nurses supported the Belgian law regulating euthanasia but also believed that most euthanasia requests disappear as soon as a patient experiences the benefits of good palliative care. Three clusters were discovered: staunch advocates of euthanasia (150 nurses, 41.1%); moderate advocates of euthanasia (135 nurses, 37%); and (moderate) opponents of euthanasia (80 nurses, 21.9%). An absolute opposition between advocates and opponents of euthanasia was not observed. A statistically significant relationship was found between the euthanasia clusters and years of experience in palliative care, and (perceived) influence of experience in palliative care on anxiety when a patient dies. Flemish palliative care nurses' attitudes toward euthanasia are nuanced and contextual. By indicating that most euthanasia requests disappear as soon as a patient experiences the benefits of good palliative care, the nurses applied a 'palliative filter' a standard procedure in the case of a euthanasia request.