Intentional Sedation as a Means to Ease Suffering: A Systematically Constructed Terminology for Sedation in Palliative Care

Kremling A, Bausewein C, Klein C, Schildmann E, Ostgathe C, Ziegler K, Schildmann J (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Journal of Palliative Medicine Mary Ann Liebert

DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2021.0428

Abstract

Background: Terminology concerning sedation in palliative care is heterogeneous, vague, and difficult to apply with negative impact on the reliability of quantitative data, practice, and ethical discourse.Design: To clarify the concept, we systematically developed definitions of core terms in an interdisciplinary research group comprising palliative care, ethics, law, and philosophy, integrating feedback from external experts.Results: We define terms stepwise, separating matters of terminology (What is the practice?) from matters of good practice (How to use it?). We start with an operational definition of "reduced level of consciousness" (score < 0 on the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale modified for palliative care inpatients (RASS-PAL), followed by defining "sedating," "sedation," and "intentional sedation" as the result or process of sedating a patient as a means of achieving a previously defined treatment goal and the terms "light," "deep," "temporary," and "sedation until death."Conclusion: The terminology facilitates the precise phrasing of aims, indications, and rules for good practice. Empirical research on acceptance and feasibility is needed.

Authors with CRIS profile

Carsten Klein Department of Palliative Medicine Christoph Ostgathe Professur für Palliativmedizin Kerstin Ziegler Lehrstuhl für Strafrecht, Strafprozessrecht, Wirtschafts- und Medizinstrafrecht

Involved external institutions

Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) DE Germany (DE) Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Kremling, A., Bausewein, C., Klein, C., Schildmann, E., Ostgathe, C., Ziegler, K., & Schildmann, J. (2022). Intentional Sedation as a Means to Ease Suffering: A Systematically Constructed Terminology for Sedation in Palliative Care. Journal of Palliative Medicine. https://dx.doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2021.0428

MLA:

Kremling, Alexander, et al. "Intentional Sedation as a Means to Ease Suffering: A Systematically Constructed Terminology for Sedation in Palliative Care." Journal of Palliative Medicine (2022).

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