A major shift in the care of terminally ill @entity1 , due to advances in technology, and the development of legislation regarding @entity1 self-determination and autonomy, has occurred over recent years. Critical care nurses (CCNs) are involved daily in issues of @entity204 and dying and are very aware of the needs, fears and psychosocial issues of @entity1 and their families. Professional associations see a legitimate role for nurses in assisting the dying to achieve a dignified @entity204 . For legislation, policies and guidelines surrounding end-of-life issues to be effective, and to assist nursing staff with these sensitive, often difficult concerns, it is important that data on the opinions and perspectives of CCNs be objectively obtained. In a study by the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Queensland, questionnaires were sent to 1100 randomly sampled community members and almost 1200 health professionals (nurses, general practitioners and specialists), including 299 CCNs. The response rate of CCNs to a 30-page postal questionnaire was 79 per cent (n = 231), indicating those nurses' high levels of interest in and/or concern regarding this area. CCNs supported the use of advance directives, the appointment of proxies and the need for doctors and nurses to give sufficient medication to relieve @entity158 , even if this hastened the @entity204 of the @entity1 . In addition, CCNs, more than any other professional group, supported the right of the terminally ill @entity1 to physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia, their responses being very similar to those of community members. CCNs clearly face issues which, from legal, medical and ethical viewpoints, cause them concern. In sharing their personal experiences, CCNs stressed the need for more communication between doctors and @entity1 , as well as between doctors and nurses. In addition, CCNs saw a clear role for themselves as advocates for @entity1 /families in the decision-making process.

Issues of XXXX and dying: the perspective of critical care nurses.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient', 'people'] @entity204 :: ('MESH:D003643', 'Disease') :: ['death'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['pain']
@entity204 :: (MESH:D003643,Disease) :: ['death']
