1. How do hospitals deal with euthanasia requests in Flanders (Belgium)? A content analysis of policy documents.
- Author
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Lemiengre J, Dierckx de Casterlé B, Denier Y, Schotsmans P, and Gastmans C
- Subjects
- Belgium, Catholicism, Chi-Square Distribution, Decision Making, Organizational, Documentation, Guidelines as Topic, Health Services Research, Hospital Bed Capacity statistics & numerical data, Hospitals, General ethics, Hospitals, Religious ethics, Hospitals, Special ethics, Humans, Mental Competency, Organizational Affiliation ethics, Organizational Affiliation organization & administration, Organizational Policy, Ownership, Patient Care Team organization & administration, Religion and Psychology, Terminal Care ethics, Terminal Care psychology, Euthanasia ethics, Euthanasia legislation & jurisprudence, Euthanasia psychology, Hospitals, General organization & administration, Hospitals, Religious organization & administration, Hospitals, Special organization & administration, Patient Acceptance of Health Care psychology, Terminal Care organization & administration
- Abstract
Objective: To describe the form and content of ethics policies on euthanasia in Flemish hospitals and the possible influence of religious affiliation on policy content., Methods: Content analysis of policy documents., Results: Forty-two documents were analyzed. All policies contained procedures; 57% included the position paper on which the hospital's stance on euthanasia was based. All policies described their hospital's stance on euthanasia in competent terminally ill patients (n=42); 10 and 4 policies, respectively, did not describe their stance in incompetent terminally and non-terminally ill patients. Catholic hospitals restrictively applied the euthanasia law with palliative procedures and interdisciplinary deliberations. The policies described several phases of the euthanasia care process--confrontation with euthanasia request (93%), decision-making process (95%), care process in cases of no-euthanasia decision (38%), preparation and performance of euthanasia (79%), and aftercare (81%)--as well as involvement of caregivers, patients, and relatives; ethical issues; support for caregivers; reporting; and practical examples of professional attitudes and communication skills., Conclusion: Euthanasia policies go beyond summarizing the euthanasia law by addressing the importance of the euthanasia care process, in which palliative care and interdisciplinary cooperation are important factors., Practice Implications: Euthanasia policies provide tangible guidance for physicians and nurses on handling euthanasia requests.
- Published
- 2008
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