Abstract:

This review was planned to present an overview of the findings in the scientific literature on euthanasia, palliative care, and nurses’ attitudes and behaviors. A literature search was done in “EBSCO,” “PubMed” databases, and “Google Scholar” search engines. In the study, a search was made between January and March 2023 using the keywords “palliative care,” “euthanasia,” and “nurse attitudes.” Articles published in English and accessible were included in the research. Palliative care practices differ according to the health system, socioeconomic status, cultural conditions, geographical location, and education levels of countries On the other hand, discussions on the integration of euthanasia into palliative care practices continue. While palliative care practices differentiate in countries where euthanasia has been legalized, scientific, legal, religious, and ethical discussions continue in countries where euthanasia is not legal. There are many different variables, such as age, gender, professional experience, and cultural and religious factors, that affect nurses’ attitudes and behaviors on this issue. It can be suggested that the results of the research, which will evaluate the factors affecting the attitudes of nurses toward euthanasia, death and terminally ill patients, include social changes in order to provide a literature and database in this field.

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