Euthanasia and Situations of Dying

Istraživanje o eutanaziji i situacijama umiranja provedeno je 1989. godine na uzorku od 2281 srednja i viša medicinska sestra i liječnici. Ispitanici su praćeni prema oblilježjima spola, socijalnog porijekla, obrazovanja i radnog mjesta, intenzivna odnosno neintenzivna jedinica, vjerskog uvjerenja. Svo medicinsko osoblje odbacuje eutanaziju kao ubojstvo, pa i kad bi eutanazija bila dozvoljena oni ne bi htjeli u tome učestvovati i o tome donositi odluke. Istovremeno u 1988. i 1989. godini provedeno je istraživanje o situacijama umiranja u bolnicma, u jedinicama intenzivne i neintenzivne skrbi u svim hrvatskim gradovima koji imalu hospitalnu djelatnost. Došli smo do vrlo interesantnih rezultata i zaključaka. Pojavio se problem umiranja, praćenja umirućih pacijnenata, ublažavanje teških bolova. Kako umiru naši sugrađani? Kako umiranje djeluje na medicinsko osoblje? Utvrđene su značajne razlike u umiranju mlađih i starijih osoba, više ili manje poznatih osoba, bogatih i siromašnih. Sto se desilo s umiranjem i smrću u posljednjih pedeset godina? Tko su novi thanatokrati? Umrijeti je uvijek bili teško, bez obzira na kulturu i civilizaciju, na vrijeme i prostor. U času umiranja svi smo panično uplašeni, bez obzira u kojoj mjeri to pokazujemo. Unazad tridesetak godina pojavila se nova znanost, thanatologija, koja pokušava istražiti smrt i umiranje. Može li se smrt pripitomiti, učiniti prihvatljivom? Da li smo usvojili predodžbe da je život konačan ili se rađa nova metafizika života?The study on euthanasia and situations of dying were carried out in 1989 on a sample of 2281 nurses and physicians. The examinees mere followed up as to their sex, social background, education, religion and work place (intensive or non-intensive care). All medical personnel consider euthanasia as murder. Even if euthanasia were to be permitted they would not participate in it or bring any decisions. At the same time in 1988 and 1989, another study was carried out on situations of dying in hospitals, in intensive and non-intensive care units in all Croatian towns which nave hospital care. The study dealt with the problems of dying, observing dying patients, soothing terrible pain. How are our fellow citizens dying? How does dying affect medical personnel? Significant differences were noticed between the dying of younger and older people, more and less know persons, rich and poor. What has happened with dying and death in the last fifty years? Who are the new thanatocrates? To die was always hard, regardless of the culture and civilization, of time and place. At the moment of dying we are all panicky frightened, whether we show it or not. In the last thirty years a new science has appeared - thanatology, which tries to study dying and death. Can death be tamed, made acceptable? Have we accepted the assumption that life is eternal or that a new metaphysics of life is being born