End-of-life decisions and palliative care in surgical intensive care units
Medical advancements have significantly increased the possibilities of treating and survival of critically ill or injured patients. In intensive care units the ethical dilemma arises, questioning whether aggressive treatments merely postpone the inevitable end of life and become burdensome to patien...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Hrvatski liječnički zbor
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Liječnički vjesnik |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/473035 |
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| Summary: | Medical advancements have significantly increased the possibilities of treating and survival of critically ill or injured patients. In intensive care units the ethical dilemma arises, questioning whether aggressive treatments merely postpone the inevitable end of life and become burdensome to patients. Palliative care and end-of-life treatment are an integral part of intensive care. Palliative care may improve the quality of life for patients facing serious illnesses, while end-of-life decisions relieve the patients from unnecessary aggressive treatments. The goal of palliative care is to provide relief from unpleasant symptoms, pain, and stress, enhancing the overall well-being of the individual and supporting both the patients and their family members throughout
the illness trajectory. ICU clinicians require knowledge and competence on the main aspects of withholding/ withdrawing interventions. They have to provide quality healthcare with respect to psychological, social, and spiritual distress. Knowledge of palliative care such as symptom relief, communication and end-of-life care should be taught on a regular basis. The main challenge in the end-of-life decision making is that dying patients in the ICU are often unable to participate. Decision making on withholding and withdrawing of life-sustaining therapies in ICU varies from country to country. This paper explores the ethical considerations surrounding end-of-life decisions and compares the annual practices in a tertiary surgical intensive care unit in Slovenia with those in other countries. |
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| ISSN: | 0024-3477 1849-2177 |