October 2025 – a ‘Watch Again’ recording is available to GPNN members

Maintaining wellbeing of the nurse in the face of assisted dying

There is a strong possibility that the law in the UK will change which will legalise an assisted death. This will represent a seismic change in the landscape of life, death and grief and has huge implications for organisations involved in health and palliative care, clinicians and others involved in the care of people who are dying and those close to them.

Many UK based nurses are already giving careful consideration to how they manage the changing demands that such a change would bring to their practice, professional values and identity in the event of a change in the law.  Nurses in other parts of the world are watching carefully also, mindful that shifts and consequences in the UK could reflect their own experiences in the future and help guide any preparation required on their part.

This spotlight brought together nurse leaders to explore the possible consequences of introducing assisted death to the world of palliative care and how nurses and their teams maintain their wellbeing and impact in the light of it.

Speakers

Caring for people considering assisted dying presents profound professional and emotional challenges.
A thought-provoking session exploring how nurses can sustain their wellbeing while providing safe, compassionate care for those who may wish to explore or plan to take up this option. 

Dr Heather Richardson set the context for this important discussion.

Victoria Ali, Postgraduate Student, Lancaster University, shared early research findings on how nurses experience aspects of care that may be perceived as hastening death and the implications for individual practice and nursing leadership.

Nicole Porquet-Seitz, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care (Calgary, Canada), offered insights from her extensive experience working alongside Medically Assisted in Dying (MAID) , reflecting on its impact on nurses, relationships with patients and families, and the role of palliative care in supporting those who choose this path.