Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz
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Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz · Nov 2006
Review[Doctor's role and communication with the dying].
In palliative medicine, the doctor's role towards the patient changes from curing to looking after and depends on the different organizational forms. A key topic for the doctor remains the decision, how far medical treatment should be extended - according to patient's will. ⋯ This leads to the following aims of communication with the dying: Recording of somatic, psychic, social and spiritual problems of the patients, informing about illness and prognosis, responding to the patient's emotional situation and to the existential dimension of dying as well as involving relatives in communication. "Active listening" is proposed as a communication form to be learned by doctors. Training programs and possibilities of improving the emotional situation of doctors are described.
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Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz · Nov 2006
Review[Dignity in the care of terminal ill and dying patients. Definitions and supportive interventions in palliative care].
Most patients, family members, health care professional as well as volunteers would agree that dignified care and being allowed to die with dignity are superior and unquestionable goals of palliative care. Although the majority of people have a more or less vague concept of dignity and despite its significance for palliative care, only a few empirical approaches to describe the sense of dignity from patients' and health care professionals' perspectives have been undertaken. ⋯ Furthermore, it illustrates the understanding of dignity as well as self-perceived exertions of influence on a patient's dignity from the perspective of health care professionals and volunteers. Psychotherapeutic interventions and strategies are introduced that can help conserve the sense of dignity of patients during palliative care.
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Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz · Nov 2006
Review[Euthanasia, self-determination, and palliative care].
Many of the judicial and ethical questions raised by euthanasia are still the subject of controversial discussions. In this context the article broaches the issues of the doctor- patient relationship, patient's right to autonomy, and advance directive. It deals with the present judicial possibilities of euthanasia in Germany with reference to the situation in the Netherlands. Finally, there is an outlook on the role of palliative care and of hospices.
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Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz · Nov 2006
Review[Education in palliative care. An overview].
In recent years, the development of new educational concepts in palliative care was necessary due to (1) the growing number of institutions providing palliative care, (2) the introduction of the supplementary term palliative medicine and (3) the integration of palliative care modules in other educational programs in medicine and nursing. Already in the 1990s, dedicated professional societies devised learning target and objective catalogues that are widely acknowledged. ⋯ Together with the existing objective catalogues, these laws stimulated recent publication activities of training manuals, which allow efficient and high quality teaching in palliative care. This paper gives an overview on the development and the current situation of education and training in palliative care in the Federal Republic of Germany.