Why do nursing students need to study euthanasia?

i am a nursing student and i was wondering why

The study of euthanasia is important for nursing students (or other health care-related students) to know because it deals greatly with how to provide ETHICAL patient care. For example, let's imagine you have a terminal patient who is suffering excruciating pain. You administer pain medication but you feel it is not enough....So, you give more and more (illegally) while thinking that it is better for this patient to "peacefully" die than to live and experience such pain. The big question is: who are you to decide whether another human being should live or die? Even if the patient asked you to euthanize him/her, you absolutely cannot and should not do it. Because if you cross that line and take control over someone else' s life, chaos will soon follow (not to mention that you have broken the law and will lose your license to practice). Some people may take the lives of others and claim that they did it "for the sake of the patient" so that he/she will not suffer any longer.

In summary, the study of euthanasia is important and pertinent because it deals with the ethics of health care practices. There are so many "gray" areas in the world of doctors, nurses, patients, etc that people (i.e. health professionals) need to really stop and think about what they are doing and whether it is truly in the best interest of the patient. Hope this helps (at least a little). . . .Good luck with your studies!

because when they really muck up they have a way to hide it

they must understand the ethical dilemmas involved and decide where they stand on the issue.

Because although medicine is a science, it's not an exact science. There are many ethical issues involved in the many decisions that have to be made. There are also many forms of euthanasia. Not all of them are like Dr Kevorkian...blatant and obvious. When it comes to end of life issues, or terminal diseases or conditions, families and patients will have questions related to euthanasia, even if they don't know that's what they're asking. So it's good for you to understand the basics.
Studying euthanasia will also teach you how to face other ethical issues and how to develop an informed opinion.

Have fun in nursing school! It's a great profession!