Citation

Winkler L, Wetterauer C. GeroPsych (Bern) 2021; 34(2): 57-62.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Hogrefe Publishers)

DOI

10.1024/1662-9647/a000259

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Assisted suicide (AS) is one of the most controversially discussed topics, both in bioethical academia and in clinical practice. This is especially true for psychiatric patients. In Switzerland, the organization of AS and patient accompaniment in the dying process is practiced by lay right-To-die societies (RTDS). Despite this demedicalization, healthcare professionals are increasingly encountering AS requests in their institutions and experiencing moral uncertainty. This led to a physicians request for clinical ethics support when confronted with an elderly patient with depression asking for information on AS: When does "assistance" start and what am I supposed and willing to do? The following clinical case report discusses these ethical questions from the perspective of the clinical ethics consultants involved. By recounting and discussing this clinical ethics case, this article aims to illustrate the difficulties that arise in daily practice, the importance of guidance and support in view of controversy, the possibilities of finding pragmatic, acceptable solutions for all parties involved, and what clinical ethics consultation can contribute. © 2021 Hogrefe Publishing GmbH. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

human; female; male; aged; morality; case report; psychiatry; assisted suicide; ethics; article; clinical article; practice guideline; right to die; mental patient; Switzerland; organization; access to information; uncertainty; guideline; clinical ethics consultation; decision-making capacity