Nursing Best Practices for Patients Considering Medical Aid in Dying, Part 2

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Once a patient becomes eligible for medical aid in dying, the patient must legally:*

Check in with the attending doctor weekly until they take the medications
Talk with a social worker to be sure no one is coercing them into a decision.
Once a patient is eligible for aid in dying, there are no further legal requirements.
Mix the medications themselves as part of “self-administration.”

A typical role of the nurse caring for a patient considering aid in dying is to be sure the patient has all of the below except...*

complete control of nausea and vomiting
continues to have bowel movements
the capacity to make medical decisions and follow directions carefully
signed the informed-consent document stating they understand the risks of a prolonged death.

Aid-in-dying laws strongly recommend that, for the aid-in-dying day, the patient...*

Not be alone when they take aid-in-dying medications.
Have a nurse or doctor present when they take aid-in-dying medications
Have a nurse present, as long as they leave the room for the moment of ingestion.
Have two witnesses when they sign their informed consent on the day of aid in dying.

Part 2: Monitoring and Preparing Patients