Knowledge and attitudes toward voluntary euthanasia among nursing interns at the State University of Bolívar
Keywords:
Euthanasia, bioethics, nursing students, palliative care, attitudeAbstract
The study aimed to determine knowledge and attitudes toward voluntary euthanasia among nursing interns at the State University of Bolívar during 2026. A quantitative, observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted with 103 interns selected through census sampling. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire assessing knowledge and attitudes toward euthanasia, with adequate reliability indices (KR-20 = 0.80; Cronbach’s alpha = 0.80). Data were processed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25 through descriptive analysis and Pearson’s chi-square test. Overall, 99.0% demonstrated general knowledge of bioethics, while 60.2% had received formal training in this area. The highest percentages of correct responses concerned palliative sedation (86.4%), euthanasia (68.0%), physician-assisted suicide (63.1%), and palliative care (62.1%). Knowledge gaps persisted regarding passive euthanasia, therapeutic obstinacy, and Ecuadorian legislation. Furthermore, 83.5% considered euthanasia a form of dignified death, 77.7% identified physical and psychological suffering and terminal cancer as relevant criteria for its application, and 46.6% considered clinical condition the most acceptable criterion. The findings showed adequate knowledge of the general principles of euthanasia and predominantly favorable attitudes toward dignified death. Nevertheless, gaps remained regarding legislation and the differentiation of bioethical concepts associated with end-of-life decision-making, highlighting the need to strengthen university education in bioethics, health legislation, and palliative care.
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