Knowledge And Attitude Towards Euthanasia Among Unimas Undergraduate Nursing Students

Euthanasia is a controversial and ethically debated topic in recent years, stirring intense discussion and moral dilemmas in the medical field. This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude towards euthanasia amongst Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) undergraduate nursing students as well as to examine the association between knowledge and attitude towards euthanasia. 148 undergraduate nursing students of UNIMAS had participated in a survey where they were required to complete an online self-questionnaire encompassing sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude towards euthanasia. Descriptive statistics & inferential analysis were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that 78.4% of participants possessed a good knowledge regarding euthanasia. However, more than half of the participants (50.7%) exhibited poor attitude towards euthanasia. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening education and providing ethical guidance to nursing students, as they are future nurses who, in the course of their clinical practice, will inevitably encounter morally challenging situations that call for their best moral judgment. The study emphasizes the need for appropriate and targeted interventions to promote understanding and fostering empathetic decision-making skills in sensitive domain of moral ethical issues. By addressing these aspects, healthcare institutions can effectively equip nursing professionals to navigate complexities and intricacies of moral ethical issues, thus ensuring optimal patient care and ethical practice