The Ethics Committee of the Memmingen Clinic: guide for dignified dying

The Ethics Committee of the Memmingen Clinic: guide for dignified dying

In the Memmingen Clinic, the Ethics Committee plays a crucial role when it comes to challenges in modern medicine. Since its foundation in 2015, the committee has established itself as a pioneer in the region. It not only supports the medical staff in cope with ethical conflicts, but also contributes to a dignified dying, despite the hectic and often stressful everyday life.

Reality on the intensive care units can often be depressing. Doctors and nurses are faced with difficult decisions every day. An example is a premature baby in the children's clinic, which is dependent on a ventilation device, in which the medical assessment is considered hopeless. The basic question arises here: When did the time when the device should be switched off? Such scenarios are often in an environment where technical support goes far beyond what was possible a few years ago.

complexity of the decisions

Another example illustrates the complexity that can be mastered in everyday hospital life: a patient who fell into a coma wishes to get an upcoming intestinal operation not to get an artificial intestinal outcome. Nevertheless, this may be the only way to ensure its survival. The dilemma becomes all the more complicated if there are no relatives that could serve as a contact person in this Situation. Such conflicts can quickly lead to ethical questions that cannot always be easily clarified.

In such a tension, the importance of the ethics committee becomes clear. The members of the committee have the task of offering decision aids to the medical team. This happens through regular meetings and training that serve to support employees in difficult situations. The Memmingen Clinic deals with over 20,000 patients annually, which means that the need for such an ethical framework is becoming more and more urgent.

a source of support

The ethics committee is more than just a consulting body; It acts as a source of support and dialogue. The members consist of doctors, nurses and ethics experts who develop solutions together in order to take into account patient rights for the safeguards and medical standards. They promote a culture of respectful interaction and the open dialogue between the specialists.