Mrs Britnell, a nurse for 30 years, spoke passionately about her support for the bill, bringing up examples that touched her during her medical career.

“I couldn’t begin to tell you how many people I nursed who were dying and how many I sat with as they took their last breath,” Mrs Britnell said.

“I supported many through the news of their diagnosis, many tears were shed from those in my care whilst they expressed their innermost fears.”

The lower house MP has previously spoken up about her support for legalising assisted dying.

Mrs Britnell said she felt compelled to speak up.

“I am the only person in this place with this degree of experience,” she said.

Mrs Britnell said trying to condense all her experiences and thoughts on the issue into a speech was “very tough”.

“I see so much lack of understanding and when you're a health professional and spent your whole life caring for people and preserving and caring for life, to have this so misunderstood is disturbing,” she said.

Mrs Britnell said she had considered the issue of assisted dying at length, spending hours reflecting on people she nursed who experienced difficult deaths.

The MP cited examples of those whose suffering had stuck with her, including a mother of three young sons and a man with rotting throat cancer.

“There are so many stories of death that have left their mark on me,” Mrs Britnell said.

“I don’t want to share too many graphic stories, some are too hard for me to speak about.

“I will never know whether any of the people I nursed would have chosen the pathway that this legislation would offer them.

“But I do know that many of them could have felt some comfort knowing this was a path that was available for them.

“That the fear and worry they spent hours discussing with me may have been alleviated somewhat.”

It is expected there will be a conscience vote on the issue in the lower house of the Victorian Parliament by the end of the week.