Pflege und Sterbehilfe Zur Problematik eines (un-)erwünschten Diskurses

German Nurses, Euthanasia and Terminal Care: a Personal Perspective

“…Studies have been conducted on the level of knowledge of health care workers in Germany about the legal situation, as well as their attitudes to various forms of euthanasia. 7 Nurses' knowledge of terminal care and decision making at the end of life differs widely according to the type and extent of their training. This also depends on the focus of the respective training institutions.…”

“…There are also uncertainties about the duties and rights of professional nurses in the workplace regarding conscientious objection and the rights of personality based on the German Basic Law, Article 2 (1) and Article 4 (1). 9 In addition, studies have indicated 7 that professional nurses show unmistakeable signs of approval of euthanasia, just as the rest of the population. These opinions, which are often understood as private views, ought not to be kept quiet any longer in the professional organizations and training institutions, where they are regarded as politically incorrect, but rather should be discussed in their political and historical contexts.…”

“…Nursing was held back for a long period of time in the name of an ideal of serving to the point of absolute obedience, first to religious and later to medical authorities. 13 These ideological factors served to enhance the interests and superiority of the medical profession in the health sector, and the interests of the political will and opportunity that put nursing work in its place. Questionable ideologies and disunity made development of the profession more difficult.…”

“…The legal provisions, particularly of the Anaesthetics Law, would suffice for this. 14 Health care workers, especially nurses, would be fundamentally concerned by changes of this kind. It is, therefore, all the more important to take note of the experiences of nurses in the Netherlands with the Law for the Monitoring of the Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide of 1 April 2001 (Wet toetsing levensbeëindiging op verzoek en hulp bij zelfdoding).…”

“…It is, therefore, all the more important to take note of the experiences of nurses in the Netherlands with the Law for the Monitoring of the Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide of 1 April 2001 (Wet toetsing levensbeëindiging op verzoek en hulp bij zelfdoding). 14…”