The end-of-life and the doctor: the bioethic's implications of the doctor-terminal patient relationship

• Autor(a) principal: Silva,Liliane Cristina da
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Mendonça,Adriana Rodrigues dos Anjos
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Geriatrics, Gerontology and Aging (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://ggaging.com/details/261
• topic: Physician-patient relations, terminally ill, bioethic.

<p><b>OBJECTIVE:</b> This research aims at identifying the physician's considerations regarding the terminal patient and evaluating his attitude towards the end of life.<br> <b>METHOD:</b> The method chosen was the qualitative-descriptive type, with methodological frame based upon Collective Subject Discourse. Twenty physicians were interviewed, who were responsible for the terminal patients' treatment at the regional hospital, Pouso Alegre city, in Brazil. Data was reached through a semi-structured questionnaire, with two questions that were recorded and transcribed in full.<br> <b>RESULTS:</b> The discussion of the considerations about terminal patient and the observation of the development of the physician-terminal patient relationship, allows the results to reinforce that the conflict between the professional personality and the medical reality orientates the physician-terminal patient relationship, inducing the physician to judge his embarrassing presence, and even useless, near the patient's bedstead. However, the bioethical principles about the end of life do not limit themselves only to the patient's right of knowing the truth, but also establish the right to the dialogue with his physician and reinforce the necessity of a relationship based on reciprocity.<br> <b>CONCLUSION:</b> Most of the physicians interviewed believe to be their mission to cure. However, according to Hippocrates, the physician's obligation is to treat when that's possible and always take care. This care is defended on the bioethical principles as the physician's presence near the patient, respecting his desire to speak, to be heard, to get answers, at a time when every event, word, thought, purpose, decision and action assume a new meaning.</p>