Bioética e atenção ao paciente sem perspectiva terapêutica convencional: estudo sobre o morrer com dignidade

Abstract

The main theme concerns the human finitude process. It is related to bioethics and patient care without conventional therapeutic perspective. The qualitative and phenomenologic study is conducted with two procedures: oral story technique and participating observation. In depth interviews were made with selected subjects within the research universe. Professionals from the health team, relatives and caregivers were also interviewed. The field work was done in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Dying with dignity was the central point of reflection. In these circumstances, bioethics limits territories, which shows the need of those who live through terminal diseases to receive care. As individuals are given voice to express their subjectivity during the time they have left, a debate can be settled through careful listening of those in need, thus creating a new sense to finitude. Two important attitudes were considered as they are relevant in the researched universe: pain control and home death. It is worth noticing, however, the possibility that this research moves forward bioethics knowledge over the silence process, which precedes death for hours or days. The attention to the subjects (patients) may represent the respect to differences, open space to create or reinforce autonomy and dignity attitudes and the use of palliative caring techniques.