In January 2022, assisted suicide was legalized in Austria, which has changed the framework conditions in care facilities for the providers, the employees, but above all for the people in care. The new law makes assisting suicide exempt from punishment if this was done voluntarily by the person concerned and was not influenced by third parties.
If nurses or doctors were already confronted with wishes to die expressed in varying degrees in the past, it is expected that concrete inquiries will increase. It is therefore important to prepare employees well for such requests, especially in the palliative care sector, so that they can respond professionally to the specific death wishes of those affected.
The aim of this work is to theoretically process wishes for death and assisted suicide and to compare them with the current situation in care facilities. In addition, the terms of euthanasia are explained so that a correct assignment of the assisted suicide is possible. The theoretical foundations obtained are linked to the findings of experts from care facilities in order to create the basis for the concept development for nurses in the care sector. Based on this work, it should be made easier for care facilities to develop and implement theory- and practice-based concepts for dealing with the wish to die and assisted suicide. The theoretical and practice-oriented inventory is intended to promote professional support for those affected in the care facilities.