NURSES' ATTITUDES TOWARD PASSIVE EUTHANASIA FOR THE SEVERELY HANDICAPPED CHILD.
Contributors: Columbia University. Teachers College.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 255
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study sought to identify the attitudes of nurses, pediatric and medical-surgical, toward passive euthanasia for the severely handicapped child who is terminally or critically ill, to identify the relationship between the attitude and selected demographic and belief characteristics of the sample, and to identify the relationships between selected demographic and belief characteristics and the intention to perform the behavior indicated by the attitude.

The data collection instrument was a questionnaire which measured the study variables of demographic data, experiences with, and beliefs about, passive euthanasia and the preference for a specific treatment modality. A Likert-type scale (reliability .88) to measure the nurses' attitudes toward passive euthanasia was constructed by the researcher and included in the questionnaire. Respondents were 1149 nurses who were employed in the New York metropolitan area.

According to scores on the attitude test, the nurses' attitudes toward passive euthanasia for the severely handicapped child who is terminally or critically ill were one of uncertainty (mean score 80.56, SD = 16.73). Nurses who had experience with passive euthanasia for either a child or adult or who had nursed a severely handicapped child held favorable attitudes toward the practice.

Demographic variables that were related to favorable attitudes were: suburban residency; age 21-30; no parenting experience; white ethnicity; Eastern European background; no religious affiliation or that of Lutheran, Presbyterian or Jewish. Demographic variables related to unfavorable attitudes were: Caribbean/South American or Phillipines background or Caribbean Black ethnicity.

The majority of nurses preferred the minimal use of life support systems regardless of what they believed their cultural, moral, ethical or religion's positions were on the issue.

The prolongation of life due to the use of modern technology evokes a dilemma in relation to the severely handicapped child. Since an important aspect in their nursing is the prospect of withholding or withdrawing treatment, nurses need to provide unbiased care and counseling. Therefore, it is imperative that nurses become aware of their attitudes toward passive euthanasia when they implement physicians' orders, provide patient care and counsel parents.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-02, Section: B, page: 0514.

Thesis (ED.D.)--COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHERS COLLEGE, 1984.

School code: 0055.