ANF (Victorian Branch) Secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick spoke at the recent Dying with Dignity Rally on the steps of Victorian Parliament House which called on politicians to debate the private member's bill ‘The Medical Treatment (Physician Assisted Dying) Bill 2008'.
Ms Fitzpatrick told the rally of more than 500 people that a patient's end of life decision and legislative framework to safeguard those decisions were critical issues for nurses who needed clarity and understanding about the issues surrounding dying with dignity.
It is ethically and legally difficult for nurses trying to alleviate a patient's pain and suffering once they know the patient can no longer cope with their incurable illness and intolerable suffering and when the patient tells them that they want to die, and asks them for help. Nurses want patients to have the choice of how they deal with pain, suffering and their own death and nurses want to be able to respect patients' informed choices.
Speaking at the rally, former Victorian Law Commission Chairman Professor David Kelly explained how the private member's bill would work and outlined the safeguards to protect vulnerable Victorians as well as nurses. Read Professor Kelly's speech.
