Hear from the Experts: Social Workers’ Experience of Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act

Every month, SWHPN members have the opportunity to delve into a specific topic relevant to social work in hospice and palliative care with a national social work expert in that area. These experts graciously share their time and knowledge by hosting an online discussion forum dedicated to the issue under consideration. SWHPN members can access current and past Hear From the Experts Series through the member discussion forum. In May, Pam Miller and Susan Hedlund are facilitating a discussion on Social Workers’ Experience with Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act.

In 1994, Pam Miller and Susan Hedlund were living and working as social work educators and/or clinicians in end-of-life care when Oregon became the first state in the U.S. to pass legislation to legalize the Death with Dignity Act. As such, Pam and Susan were among the health care professionals, researchers, and educators working with terminally-ill individuals who now had a legal option to pursue Death with Dignity. This month, they share with us their experiences as social workers faced with this controversial, relatively unknown and untested legislation. They will explore questions pertaining to this topic, including:

• How has this legislation changed the end-of-life landscape for patients and professionals?
• What were their personal and professional journeys as this new paradigm unfolded?
• What are our legal and ethical obligations as social workers working with individuals who may contemplate this option?
• What does Death with Dignity mean for the other professionals on our interdisciplinary teams and what does that mean for the social worker on the team?

Pam Miller and Susan Hedlund have over a decade of experience grappling with the effects of this legislation, and both have served on Oregon’s Task Force to Improve the Care of Terminally Ill Oregonians, convened by the Center for Ethics in Health Care. The goal of the task force is to promote excellence in the care of the dying, and its work has included the development of professional standards related to the Death with Dignity Act and two guidebooks for care of the dying.

Pamela Miller, PhD, MSW, is a Professor of Social Work at Portland State University, with practice experience across numerous settings, including hospice, home care, nursing care facilities and family practice clinics. Pam also serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care, to which SWHPN members have free online access.

Susan Hedlund, MSW, LCSW, is Director of Social Services at Hospice & Palliative Care of Washington County, in addition to her roles as an Instructor at Portland State University’s School of Social Work and at Oregon Health and Science University’s School of Medicine. She is the 2009 recipient of the American Cancer Society and Association of Oncology Social Work’s Quality of Life Award.

Not a SWHPN member? Join today.