In the Netherlands, euthanasia is carried out on around 3200 people a year, 80 per cent of whom have cancer (Van der Mass et al 1996). Helping someone to die in Britain is punishable by 14 years in prison. Yet many healthcare professionals here have been asked to help patients to end their life in one way or another. Susan Bell explains why she believes that nurses should now be openly discussing euthanasia.
Last year I lost my father to cancer. As a junior sister at Addenbrookes Dialysis Unit, this event made me begin to wonder about my professional values and duty of care towards terminally ill individuals.
As nurses we are taught to treat the individuals in our care ...