Chapter 24

Euthanasia

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
  1. Definition, meaning and types of euthanasia
  2. Ethical principles underlying euthanasia
  3. Reasons and legal status for euthanasia
  4. Ethical issues for euthanasia
  5. Ethical issues against euthanasia
  6. Role of nurse in euthanasia
24.1 INTRODUCTION

Euthanasia is not a happy incident; it is the act of killing a life and is known as mercy killing or providing peaceful death. It is done to chronic or terminally ill patients for whom no more treatment methods are available for their survival. The patients themselves will request to end their lives, since they are not able to cope up with the clinical manifestation of such diseases, which cause intolerable pain and suffering. Euthanasia is done voluntarily with the ...

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