Graduation Year
2025
Document Type
Senior Thesis
Degree
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Primary Major
Nursing
Thesis Advisor
Andrea Boyle, RN, MSN, PhD
Abstract
Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) also known as physician-assisted suicide in addition to euthanasia is on the rise with an increase in decriminalization of the practice(s) and enactment of practice-protected policies in many countries. Ethics and morals on the subject continue to be controversial in healthcare. As student nurses enter the field as clinicians, they may encounter a patient requesting MAiD. Studies from students in other countries where MAiD and/or euthanasia is practiced found that student nurses do not feel adequately prepared to navigate such situations. However, although MAiD has been legalized in a handful of states within the United States, there is a lack of research on the attitudes of student nurses in the U.S. toward MAiD & euthanasia and how prepared their nursing programs make them feel. This study aims to explore the attitudes and beliefs of student nurses in the U.S. on MAiD and euthanasia and what factors influence their standpoint on the topic. The proposed study would use a cross-sectional approach to gather quantitative and qualitative data by using a convenience sample of 200 students enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs across California. It is hypothesized that students' attitudes towards MAiD, PAS, and euthanasia are heavily influenced by morality and educational or clinical experiences. The findings of this study may precipitate the need for an additional nursing curriculum that incorporates MAiD, PAS, and euthanasia care.
Included in
Palliative Care Commons, Palliative Nursing Commons, Public Health and Community Nursing Commons