Examining the religiosity of nursing caregivers and their attitudes toward voluntary and involuntary euthanasia

Abstract

Background: Nurses play an important role in taking care of people who have a terminal illness. Aims: To examine nursing caregivers' religiosity as the mediator between voluntary and involuntary euthanasia, and to compare nursing caregiver religiosity groups and the voluntary and involuntary euthanasia attitudes of nurses and nursing students. Methods: A cross sectional design was applied and 298 nursing caregivers voluntarily participated and completed the questionnaire. Findings: Religiosity partially contributes as mediator between voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. All nursing caregiver religiosity groups show more support for voluntary euthanasia. Moreover, nursing students and nurses differ with respect to support for euthanasia in extreme situations, such as patients that are clinically brain-dead. Conclusion: Findings may be attributed to the clash of religious values, due to the common injunction against taking a life especially as regards involuntary euthanasia.