Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (2015): Provision 1, Interpretive Statement 1.4, titled
“The Right to Self Determination,” affirms the nurse’s role and responsibility in providing care and support at the end of life:
The importance of carefully considered decisions regarding resuscitation status, withholding and with-drawing life-sustaining therapies, forgoing nutrition and hydration, palliative care, and advance directives is widely recognized. Nurses assist patients as necessary with these decisions. Nurses should promote advance care planning conversations and must be knowledgeable about the benefits and limits of various advance directive documents. The nurse should provide interventions to relieve pain and other
“The Right to Self Determination,” affirms the nurse’s role and responsibility in providing care and support at the end of life:
The importance of carefully considered decisions regarding resuscitation status, withholding and with-drawing life-sustaining therapies, forgoing nutrition and hydration, palliative care, and advance directives is widely recognized. Nurses assist patients as necessary with these decisions. Nurses should promote advance care planning conversations and must be knowledgeable about the benefits and limits of various advance directive documents. The nurse should provide interventions to relieve pain and other