The Philosophy and Practice of Patient Control in Hospice

The Dynamics of Autonomy versus Paternalism

Bibliographic Data

ID13629857
AuthorsMark A Mesler (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Allied Health Sciences, Boston, corresponding author)
Year1995
Volume30
Issue3
Pages173-189
Publication date1995-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueOMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2190/la5m-ufb3-x415-p47w
PMID11652932
OpenAlexW1965761984
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited15

The hospice philosophy of care for the terminally ill emphasizes patients' control over their remaining time. This article is based on approximately three years of participant observation research in several hospice settings where the practice of providing patients control, or autonomy, during their remaining life and dying was explored. The findings suggest that, despite the best efforts of hospice staff, attempts to fulfill the goals of this philosophy were constrained by several factors: efforts at symptom control, patient residence, patient disease state, and staff limit setting. Examples, implications, and the staff's attempts at solution are discussed

Autonomy · Control (management · Hospice care · Management · Palliative care · Paternalism · Political science · Residence · Sociology · Terminally ill · Ethics in medical practice · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Law · Medicine · Nursing · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Psychology

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