University Nursing Ethics Report: Euthanasia and Ethical Dimensions

This report delves into the ethical dimensions of nursing, particularly in the context of euthanasia. It explores key concepts such as morality, conscience, ethical principles, goodness, and responsibility, examining how these factors influence nursing practice. The report uses a case study on euthanasia to illustrate these concepts, analyzing the ethical dilemmas faced by nurses and the importance of ethical decision-making. It reviews existing literature, discussing different viewpoints on euthanasia and its implications for nursing, including the nurse's role, patient autonomy, and the dignity of the nurse. The analysis considers various ethical principles like justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence, and how they apply to the complex issue of euthanasia. The report emphasizes the need for nurses to navigate these ethical challenges with compassion, integrity, and a strong understanding of their professional responsibilities.

Running Head: NURSING INTERVENTION-FUNDAMENTALS OF PHILOSOPHY
Nursing Intervention-Fundamentals of Philosophy
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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The article illustrates on the ethical dimension of the nursing practice that incorporates
morality, conscience, ethical principles, goodness, responsibility and dignity into account.
The case study provided is based on the nursing interventions on euthanasia. In this systemic
review there are eighteen articles that inclined to the ethical concepts, theories and the
principles of nursing but since the topic is argumentative four of the articles selected for the
review were in favor of euthanasia while six were against the concept while the remaining
authors choose to be neutral.
Morality: It is indeed a challenge in the nursing profession to maintain the morality in
nursing practice and possess the ability to take tough stands for the right cause and ensure
living by the moral values of an individual. Nurses need moral courage in all the areas as well
as at all levels. There are several attributes that contribute to the moral competence in nursing
which includes loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, responsibility,
discipline, respect and honesty for the human values, rights and dignity (Parahoo, 2014).
Based on the case study the act of euthanasia can be rewarding, emotionally laden, morally
complex and ambiguous. It is considered ethically impermissible for a nurse to aid a patient
to end his life. Compassion was considered as the foundational as well as the enduring value
in the nursing ethics that can be considered in the debate of for and against euthanasia.
Conscience: Conscience directs to the best possible care that can be provided to the patient
exploiting the moral responsibility of recovering the treating patient from the ailment. This is
evolved out of a strong conscience. Conscience aids to guide the nurse when focusing on
personal matters or stress to choose the consistent application of best practices (Council, S.
A. N., 2013).
The nurse aims at working on the behalf of the betterment of their patient and in avoiding to
cause any harm. This is in favor of their conscience to execute euthanasia on the willingness

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of the patient. As opined by White, in the case study euthanasia is executed to relieve the
patient from pain and suffering.
Ethical principles: The ethical principles that are taken into consideration in the nursing
practice exploits justice, non-maleficence, beneficence, accountability veracity, fidelity and
autonomy. Nurses should be fair in distributing their care (Council, S. A. N., 2013).
The implications of ethical relationship of the nurse to euthanasia was based on the nature
of the relationship of the nurse with the based. This is due to their intense and continuous
interaction nature which is persistent. Euthanasia has been proven to have unique moral
implications for the nurses.
Goodness: The life experiences and the prevailing values of the influence of the society on
the values of the nurse is evaluated on their nursing practice. The sensitivity, flexibility
hardiness, maturity and ability to grow of the nurse is taken into consideration and combined
with the technical skills that promote goodness. Goodness is considered as an open
relationship with another person (Ivanov & Oden, 2013).
Six articles taken into consideration in this review based on the impact of the legalization
of euthanasia on the society. The social good means that members in a community whether
material, cultural or institutional, meet the needs of a relational obligation that they need to
care for have certain interests in common. Four of the six articles had argued against the act
of euthanasia on the basis of the social good and the two remaining articles chose to remain
neutral.
Responsibility: The responsibility in the practice of nursing is applied to the ethical as well
as the moral obligations of the nurses. These can be patient care, collaborating with other
professionals, responsibility to effectuate the social changes and the morals as well.

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Responsibility is of prime consideration in terms of nursing practice violation of the
guidelines can lead to cancellation of the license (Butts & Rich, 2019).
Five of the seven authors inspected the consistency of the topic of euthanasia and was in
favor of the nursing intervention of euthanasia. One spoke against it and another author chose
to stay neutral about it. In pursuing the act of euthanasia, the role of intension should also be
taken into consideration. In this review there exists a dilemma on the direct and the indirect
intension or the causation of the act.
Ethical decision making: It is defined as the process that can be exploited in addressing any
kind of ethical dilemma. Inclining to the principles of autonomy as well as beneficence are
considered as a foundation to the process of ethical decision making (Ivanov & Oden, 2013).
The ethical principles that were questioned in this review included the sanctity and the
quality of life, the suffering and the management of pain and the phenomenon of slippery
slope was also taken into consideration. It is mentioned that there exists a tension between the
prevention of harm of the of the patient and considering the individuals decision to opt for
euthanasia.
Dignity of the nurse in all settings: The dignity of the nurses and the midwives in all the
settings should have several values in consideration that is each person should be considered
as a unique individual and they to respect as well as defend the dignity of the individual at
every stage of human life. The nurses should also maintain their own dignity and respect the
same and also respect the dignity of their patient in due course of the practice. The respect
should be mutual with the patient (Ivanov & Oden, 2013).
Various authors in the review agreed on the fact that the wish of the individual to opt for
euthanasia and the nurse should respect the autonomous decision of the individual. It is
indeed an expression of the right of an individual to make the choice for their own life.

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References
Butts, J. B., & Rich, K. L. (2019). Nursing ethics. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Council, S. A. N. (2013). Code of ethics for nursing practitioners in South Africa. Pretoria:
South African Nursing Council, 3-5.
Ivanov, L. L., & Oden, T. L. (2013). Public health nursing, ethics and human rights. Public
health nursing, 30(3), 231-238.
Parahoo, K. (2014). Nursing research: principles, process and issues. Macmillan
International Higher Education.