Norwegian Nurses’ Attitudes Toward Assisted Dying: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose was to investigate: (a) Norwegian nurses’ attitudes toward assisted dying, and (b) how much nurses receive requests from terminally ill patients for help in dying.

Participants and Methods

A quantitative explorative study was conducted using a web-based cross-sectional survey to collect data. The survey was sent to a total of 734 eligible participants, and 205 clinical nurses participated by completing the survey. Data were analyzed using bivariate statistics and multivariate ordinal regression.

Results

The study revealed that 56% of the participating nurses agreed with the statement that physician-assisted suicide should be allowed, and 48% supported legalization of euthanasia. Nurses in pulmonary wards were more positive about the legalization of physician-assisted suicide (OR = 2.98, CI = 1.34–6.66, p = 0.008) and euthanasia (OR = 3.51, CI = 1.58–7.81, p = 0.002) than nurses in oncological wards. Nurses over 30 years old held more negative attitudes about physician-assisted suicide than younger nurses (OR = 0.16, CI = 0.07–0.39, p < 0.001; and OR = 0.45, CI = 0.21–0.96, p = 0.038), and nurses with postgraduate education held more negative attitudes than nurses with a bachelor’s degree (OR = 0.46, CI = 0.24–0.88, p = 0.019). A total of 118 nurses (58%) had received at least one request about assisted dying in their clinical practice.

Conclusion

Our results provide insight into clinical nurses’ attitudes toward assisted dying. Their attitudes were influenced by their age, education, and practice in different wards. Support for legalization of assisted dying is higher in the general Norwegian population than among nurses and receiving requests for assisted dying is not unusual for clinical nurses.

Keywords:

• euthanasia
• physician-assisted suicide
• nursing
• web-based survey

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all participants who completed the survey questionnaire, along with the ethics committees and staff at the university hospitals and the home care districts who facilitated this study. They also thank the researchers in the NOBAS study for permission to use their questionnaire. Special thanks to Professor Petter Laake, Molde University College and University of Oslo, and Professor Stål Bjørkly, Molde University College, who made a significant contribution to the statistical design and the multivariate regression analysis.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in this study.

Additional information

Funding

Molde University College provided PhD funding for Hege Hol (NO971555483VAT).