Altitudes or EMT and Nursing students toward Euthanasia

일부 응급구조과 학생과 간호과 학생의 안락사에 대한 태도조사 연구

This descriptive study was conducted to identify the attitude toward euthanasia of EMT and nursing students and to compare their attitude before and after clinical practice. The convenience sample was comprised of 40 first grade and 40 second grade EMT students attended at G college in G-city, and 40 first grade and 40 third grade nursing students attended at C college in C-province. The variable was tested with an euthanasia attitude scale developed by Kim Ae Kyoung(2001). The valid responses were obtained and analyzed by using SPSS PC+ from November 25 to December 6, 2002. The results showed that most of the respondents agreed to have positive attitude toward euthanasia in terms of client's right and client's quality of life. Also, they thought that euthanasia should be legalized and the right to die with dignity should be guaranteed. The EMT respondents having a clinical experience showed significantly higher score than respondents having no experience in the subarea of medical ethics, and nursing respondents who had a clinical practice showed significantly higher score than others no experience in the subarea of quality of life. But, the other sub-areas had no significant difference between the respondents before and after clinical practice. The attitude toward euthanasia composed of sub-areas such as being after the quality of life, having a high regard for a life and recognizing client's right was not affected by the single factor of clinical practice. Therefore, much supportive intervention need to be done for the students about the significant affecting factors found in this study like a religion, values, education and observing experience of someone's death.