https://www.nursingreview.co.nz/palliative-care-nurses-back-inquiry-not-calling-for-legalised-assisted-dying/ New Zealand's independent nursing series Sun, 18 Feb 2018 15:16:01 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4 https://www.nursingreview.co.nz/palliative-care-nurses-back-inquiry-not-calling-for-legalised-assisted-dying/#comment-875 Tue, 23 Jan 2018 08:45:33 +0000 https://www.nursingreview.co.nz/?p=2391#comment-875 This article makes me hopeful but also sad that as a society we have not yet tackled the issue of alleviating suffering effectively. I have been in remission from cancer for a number of years and actually chose to do nursing to help tackle said issue. I also hoped that my life experience could bring hope to others who were suffering.
I have witnessed in my career the impact of non-physiological issues on individuals who were either dying or living with an irremedial/irreversible condition. I’ve seen these issues appear merely non-existent before the diagnosis/prognosis to almost devouring the person and their family near the end of the person’s life. It is those issues that need to be addressed immediately by the government rather than allowing that vulnerable person to go through it.
It will be interesting to hear other voices of those who have survived from these types of life events. I am hopeful that they will be able to voice their own voices in the coming days leading up to the end of submissions for the bill on 20 Feb. 2018.

]]> https://www.nursingreview.co.nz/palliative-care-nurses-back-inquiry-not-calling-for-legalised-assisted-dying/#comment-189 Thu, 10 Aug 2017 02:34:01 +0000 https://www.nursingreview.co.nz/?p=2391#comment-189 This just makes me incredibly sad. I have no doubt that the palliative care workers do a fab job, and that their services may be under-utilised and be lacking in rural areas (aren’t all health services?), but there seems to be an assumption that, given the choice, everyone would choose palliation over assisted dying. This is nothing short of condescending. The fact is: more than 50% of New Zealanders would like the choice, according to polls taken in recent times, and it is not the health professionals place to decide what services are available to consenting adults. If the palliative care services are not willing to be involved (and fair enough – no one should be made to work in an area that they do not wish to), then an assisted dying service needs to be set up. Sadly though, it seems New Zealand doesn’t have the courage yet.

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