TY - JOUR
T1 - Attitudes towards euthanasia among Greek intensive care unit physicians and nurses
AU - Kranidiotis, Georgios
AU - Ropa, Julia
AU - Mprianas, John
AU - Kyprianou, Theodoros
AU - Nanas, Serafim
PY - 2015/5/1
Y1 - 2015/5/1
N2 - Objectives: To investigate the attitudes of Greek intensive care unit (ICU) medical and nursing staff towards euthanasia. Background: ICU physicians and nurses deal with end-of-life dilemmas on a daily basis. Therefore, the exploration of their stances on euthanasia is worthwhile. Methods: This was a descriptive quantitative study conducted in three ICUs in Athens. The convenience sample included 39 physicians and 107 nurses. Results: Of respondents, 52% defined euthanasia inaccurately, as withholding or withdrawal of treatment, while 15% ranked limitation of life-support among the several forms of euthanasia, together with active shortening of the dying process and physician - assisted suicide. Only one third of participants defined euthanasia correctly. While 59% of doctors and 64% of nurses support the legalization of active euthanasia, just 28% and 26% of them, respectively, agree with it ethically. Conclusions: Confusion prevails among Greek ICU physicians and nurses regarding the definition of euthanasia. The majority of staff disagrees with active euthanasia, but upholds its legalization.
AB - Objectives: To investigate the attitudes of Greek intensive care unit (ICU) medical and nursing staff towards euthanasia. Background: ICU physicians and nurses deal with end-of-life dilemmas on a daily basis. Therefore, the exploration of their stances on euthanasia is worthwhile. Methods: This was a descriptive quantitative study conducted in three ICUs in Athens. The convenience sample included 39 physicians and 107 nurses. Results: Of respondents, 52% defined euthanasia inaccurately, as withholding or withdrawal of treatment, while 15% ranked limitation of life-support among the several forms of euthanasia, together with active shortening of the dying process and physician - assisted suicide. Only one third of participants defined euthanasia correctly. While 59% of doctors and 64% of nurses support the legalization of active euthanasia, just 28% and 26% of them, respectively, agree with it ethically. Conclusions: Confusion prevails among Greek ICU physicians and nurses regarding the definition of euthanasia. The majority of staff disagrees with active euthanasia, but upholds its legalization.
KW - End-of-life decisions
KW - Euthanasia
KW - Limitation of life-sustaining treatment
KW - Quality of life
KW - Shared decision-making
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84929517437&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2015.03.001
DO - 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2015.03.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 25840865
AN - SCOPUS:84929517437
SN - 0147-9563
VL - 44
SP - 260
EP - 263
JO - Heart and Lung: Journal of Acute and Critical Care
JF - Heart and Lung: Journal of Acute and Critical Care
IS - 3
ER -