Suffering and pain in palliative care: ethical reflections

Abstract

The technological advancements associated to medicine lead physicians to have as tireless goal to overcome illness and to extend life. However, for patients who do not present any healing possibility, one extends suffering and the dying process. Palliative care is aimed at these patients whose disease does not respond to treatment anymore, and it has as priority the improvement of their life quality, through relief of physical pain and psychological, social and spiritual suffering. In order to introduce this concept one debates the change of paradigms regarding health professionals formation, which represent a new view of life, death and medical assistance, superposing care to healing whenever this is not possible anymore. One seeks, in the terminal patients’ final phase of life, to maintain their existence honorable and comfortable, up to the last moment, having as bases the multidisciplinary care and the respect for the patient’s autonomy, integrity and dignity.