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. 2020 Nov 22;11(6):777–785. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.216

Table 2. Themes and Subthemes .

Fear of Conflict Polarised Views Emotional Burden Vulnerable Patients Organisational Challenges Decision-Making
  • Between staff

  • Between/ with families

  • In the community

  • With patients who don’t qualify for VAD

  • Ethical, moral and religious objections

  • Transgressing the Hippocratic Oath, patient trust

  • Strong supporters of VAD

  • Support for staff

  • Support for patients and families

  • Pressure from family to undergo VAD

  • Concern that other options may not have been tried

  • Physical resources

  • Staff education

  • Capacity/ resources -specialist VAD team

  • Storage and management of the drug

  • Patient capacity often unclear

  • Patient prognosis often unclear

  • Uncertainty

Abbreviation: VAD, voluntary assisted dying.