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Textbook of Healthcare Ethics pp 249–306Cite as

Problems in the Care of the Terminally Ill

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Summary

In summary, there are certain critical considerations this chapter has tried to sketch. Among these are cultural and historical differences in thinking about death and the stages of dying; the difference between life as a biological and life as a cognitive, selfrealizing, and self-actualizing state and the ethical implications such considerations may have; various forms of acognitive states; problems of limiting therapy and of artificial feeding; suicide and euthanasia; and problems of futility. Central to all of these issues is the issue of orchestrating death and in so doing communicating with patients and with their families. Healthcare professionals—no matter what their role or area of practice—should seek to have an ongoing dialogue with their patients and with their patients’ families. If they do this, if they share their fallibility, their humanity, and their agony with the patient and with their patient’s families (instead of acting like remote gods), many of these issues will be much easier to deal with than they often are today.

Herr, lehre Du mich, daβ ein Ende mit mir haben muβ, und daβ mein Sein ein Sinn hat eh ich davon muβ, eh ich davon muβ Brahms — A German Requiem

Oh Lord, teach me that my life must come to an end And that, ere I depart, my existence must have had aim and purpose Translated EHL

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(2005). Problems in the Care of the Terminally Ill. In: Textbook of Healthcare Ethics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-2252-2_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-2252-2_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-1460-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-2252-4

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