Ethical Challenges for Healthcare Practices at the End of Life: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xiv

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Anna-Henrikje Seidlein, Sabine Salloch

   Pages 1-7

3. Contexts of Professional Practice at the End of Life

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 9-9

      PDF

   2. Palliative Care Between Certainty and Uncertainty. Which Philosophy of Death at the End of Life?

      • Elodie Camier-Lemoine

      Pages 11-21

   3. An Ethical Discussion of (Un-)Certainty at the End of Life: Exemplification by Means of Continuous Deep Sedation and Advance Directives

      • Eva Kuhn, Elodie Camier-Lemoine, Bradley Lonergan, Christine Dunger

      Pages 23-54

   4. Why Me? – The Concept of Physicians’ Spiritual Self-Care: A Contribution to Professional and Organisational Ethics

      • Eva Kuhn

      Pages 55-72

4. Professional Standards at the End of Life

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 73-73

      PDF

   2. The Role of Time in End-of-Life Decision-Making at the Intensive Care Unit in France and Germany: Qualitative-Empirical Data and Ethical Reflection

      • Anna-Henrikje Seidlein, Sabine Salloch, Marta Spranzi

      Pages 75-93

   3. Brazilian Medical Professional Ethics in Palliative and End-of-Life Care – Advances and Expectancies

      • Guilherme Gryschek

      Pages 95-105

   4. Should the Family Be Allowed to Override a Patient’s Decision to Become an Organ Donor after Death?

      • Natalia Kyrtata

      Pages 107-119

   5. Comparison of Self-Assessed Competencies Regarding End-of-Life Ethics between Physicians and Nursing Staff

      • Andreas Mues, Tobias Weise, Axel Ekkernkamp

      Pages 121-136

   6. Blurring Boundaries at the End of Life in Home Care: A Look at Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom in the Light of Care Ethics

      • Mara Kaiser, Eva Kuhn, Christopher Poppe, Henrike Voß

      Pages 137-161

5. Treatment Preferences and Professional Companionship at the End of Life

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 163-163

      PDF

   2. Maltese Perspectives on Breaking Bad News in Cancer: An Assessment of Patients’ Preferences

      • Joëlle Azzopardi, Dorothy Galea Gauci, Patricia A. Parker, Neville Calleja, Jeff A. Sloan, Raymond Zammit

      Pages 165-183

   3. Socio-economic Position and Access to Specialist Palliative Care: Evidence from the UK

      • Maddy French

      Pages 185-201

   4. Professional Nurses’ Role in End-of-Life Care. Ethical Reflections on Patient-Nurse Interaction and Nurses’ Decision-Making in Breathlessness Situations

      • Christine Dunger, Martin W. Schnell

      Pages 203-220

6. Joint Discussion Paper

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 221-221

      PDF

   2. Ethics and (Inter-)Professionalism in Health Care at the End of Life: A Position Paper

      • Joëlle Azzopardi, Elodie Camier-Lemoine, Maddy French, Guilherme Gryschek, Mara Kaiser, Eva Kuhn et al.

      Pages 223-229

7. Back Matter

   Pages 231-233

   PDF

This book presents a collection of exclusively selected manuscripts on current ethical controversies related to professional practices from an interprofessional perspective. Insights are provided into the diversity of practices and viewpoints from different countries are merged in a unique way. The book contributes to the debate on social and legal issues regarding end-of-life practices such as organ donation, medically assisted dying and advance care planning. In addition, joint international author groups contributed exclusive chapters about European comparisons on end-of-life topics. The focus on country- and culture-specific aspects broadens the view on key issues and makes the book attractive for an international readership. The variety of approaches and methods used informs and inspires the development of new research and best-practice projects.

• end-of-life-care
• professional practice at the end of life
• professional companionship at the end of life
• professionalism in care
• european perspectives on end-of-life-care
• ethics of palliative care
• interprofessionality in care
• medical ethics
• professional ethics

• Institute of Ethics and History of Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

  Anna-Henrikje Seidlein

• Institute of Ethics, History and Philosophy of Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany

  Sabine Salloch

Anna-Henrikje Seidlein is a research fellow at the Institute of Ethics and History of Medicine at University Medicine Greifswald (Germany). She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Nursing Science and obtained her doctoral degree in Medical Ethics. She has a background in intensive care nursing and clinical ethics consultation. Her main research focus lies on socio-empirical research regarding ethical questions associated with health-care practices.

Sabine Salloch is a professor and head of the Institute of Ethics, History and Philosophy of Medicine, Hannover Medical School (Germany). She has a background in medicine and philosophy and specialises in bioethical theory, empirical-ethical research and medical professionalism. 

Policies and ethics