The experience of assisted dying for Dutch healthcare staff

Assisted dying is being implemented in a small, but growing, number of countries globally. Political debate often focuses on the individual's right to die, but consideration of the experience of healthcare professionals is lacking. This research focused on the experience of Dutch healthcare professionals, who have the longest history of assisted dying in practice, to deepen understanding from a clinical perspective. Philosophically, a constructivist approach was used to gather data in semi-structured interviews with doctors, nurses and therapists in a chronic disease care centre and a hospice in the Netherlands. A thematic analysis schema was used to identify main and subthemes adding new insights to what is already known about professionals' experiences. Discipline specific, and common themes arising across professional groups, are identified. The results of this study highlight the emotional and practical implications of implementing assisted dying legislation for professionalsand their organisations. It may also be of interest to policy makers. Areas where further research may be warranted are also included.