Suicidio assistito: le opinioni degli infermieri

The Emilia-Romagna Region to make the right to medically assisted suicide (MAS) operational, as established by Constitutional Court ruling no. 242 of 2019.

The Emilia-Romagna Region to make the right to medically assisted suicide (SMA) operational, as established by Constitutional Court ruling no. 242 of 2019.

The Regional Council has established the Regional Committee for Ethics in the Clinic (COREC), which provides ethical advice on specific cases and non-binding opinions on SMA requests.

Guidelines for Healthcare Companies that define procedures and timelines for managing SMA requests. Procedure for assisted suicide:

1. The patient submits a written request to the Health Directorate of a SSR Company.

2. The Health Directorate forwards the request to the Area Vasta Evaluation Commission within 3 days.

3. The Commission assesses the legitimacy of the request and drafts a report (20 days).

4. The report is sent to COREC for an opinion

5. COREC sends its opinion to the Evaluation Commission.

6. The Evaluation Commission drafts a final report

7. The final report is sent to the patient, the Health Director of the local health company, and the Health Director of the hospital company (if the patient is hospitalized).

Timelines:

• The entire procedure should last no more than 42 days.

• In case of a favorable opinion, the SMA procedure must take place within 7 days.

Requirements to access SMA:

• Capacity for self-determination.

• Suffering from an irreversible disease.

• Unbearable physical or psychological suffering.

• Dependence on life-sustaining treatments.

We asked a sample of nurses to express their opinion on assisted suicide. The majority of professionals interviewed believe that the patient has the right to choose how and when to die, especially in cases of unbearable and irreversible suffering. In addition to being a way to eliminate the patient's suffering, assisted suicide is seen as a dignified way to die, compared to prolonged suffering.

A third of colleagues are opposed to assisted suicide for moral or religious reasons, considering it immoral to help a patient die. Furthermore, they fear that assisted suicide could be open to abuse or pressure on vulnerable patients and that it could have a significant emotional impact on the nurses themselves.
Both opinions must be respected and we respect them.

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