pictures from Italy shock: Corona-patients who are ventilated lying on the belly or pulled with a kind of canister on the head motionless in their beds. The afraid to put himself soon in such a Situation, is on many. And the question is: do I want to?
Because in Switzerland, has each and every one the ability to refrain from treatment if he or she keeps that will in good time. This can be in a living will. Based on a conversation with Ruth Baumann-Hölzle, head of the Institute of the Foundation’s dialogue ethics, we have compiled the most important questions and answers about the living will.
Now, the talk is often of a patients available. What is it and what can I regulate?
In a patient available to you in writing, what therapies and treatment methods to in case of emergency and which are not. You can specify, for example, that you want to be resuscitated during a heart attack, but that is not to ventilate her artificially, if you are diagnosed with Coronavirus. You can also use a living will, a representation of a person, the white in an emergency, how you want to be treated, and what measures they oppose. The treatment team shall decide, in consultation with this Person, whether a life-support applied measures or to be continued or not. Thus, this trusted person can decide, in an emergency, in your mind, you need to discuss the fixed points in the living will in detail with you. At the Moment you should do this on the phone.
I Need for the living will a form?
no, it is not absolutely necessary, a pre-made questionnaire. The patient has no formal claims, except that they must be signed and dated. If you still want to proceed on the basis of a structure, in the observer-book, “I decide. My complete pension dossier” form.
What are the most important questions to answer are at the moment? I want to be resuscitated or not?I want to be treated in intensive care units?If ICU Yes: I want to exhaust all measures?Who doesn’t want me to represent the alternate, when I’m more capable of judgement?
Who does not want to answer the medical questions, you can specify in the living will, also, that the representation of person decides on all questions. With the Deputy, it is important to consider who will be emotionally capable of the cases in the exception situation, far-reaching Decisions, such as whether life support machines should be turned off. This must not necessarily be the Person who is emotionally closest to. It is important to talk with the delegate and inform her what you feel for as a good life and what is a good Die.
Where should I keep the living will?
The patient should be kept at home in an easily findable place, and a map clearly visible in your wallet carry, you indicate that you have a living will and where it is located. In addition, you should submit the alternate Person a copy of the ruling.
Who decides if I have no patient available?
If life support by the end of therapies is necessary and no patient is present, or if no Person is named, the will represent the so-called cascade procedure to train:
the patient, no statutory support for medical matters and she is married, or lives in a registered partnership, the Partner (in marriage)to decide.The judgment lived incompetent Patient, together with a partner in a common household and this is with him regularly and personally, so you decide. The patient has no Partner and lives alone, so the children do not decide when you have done the patient’s already regularly and personally counsel all true for the patients, so the parents decide, if you have done the patient, before regular assistance.The parents cannot make Decisions for the patient, the siblings decide unless you have provided the patient regularly assistance.A patient or a Patient none of these persons of trust, or can’t some more equal representative (for example, several children), the Kesb must be would like to inform me, that all the measures will be exhausted. Can I have it like that?
Yes, you can specify that you want to be treated with all medically possible and reasonable treatment options. One cannot demand but ineffective measures. And you can enforce with a living will, no right to treatment. This is especially true if the intensive care units of the hospitals are full. Here are the Triage criteria of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMW) attack.
on the one Hand, Corona must patients other patients with other diseases to. And also the age of the patient should not be alone decisive, whether he is under intensive medical care or not, but only if it affects the effectiveness of medical procedures. However, Doctors and nurses will be forced to refuse patients when the ICU is full. Then the patients would be treated only palliative care on the normal ward. As a cancer patient, wherein the disease is already far advanced, could be denied the treatment on the intensive care unit, as well a patient with Alzheimer’s disease in the Endstadion. In addition, the SAMS calls the physician to avoid treatments that require multiple caregivers for a single patient are necessary.
you Can set up a living will just in case of a severe Corona disease?
Yes, theoretically it is possible. However, one should bear in mind that you could also fall ill to the present time or otherwise have accidents, and then the patient would also apply.
I Can call a patient that I used to fill in now, later?
Yes, you can always. You can either destroy or revoke the will is dated and signed in the patient’s Deposit. It is recommended anyway to check the patient’s disposal, whether the corresponds to the will expressed even in the current circumstances, when the circumstances of life change. After that, it is important to date of any Changes to, or the assertion that the present Version corresponds to the current will, and signed it. Even a 20 years ago, wrote a living will is still valid, but an update will facilitate the doctors and the delegate the treatment decision.
I have no family here in Switzerland. Can I provide a living for me and close friends can come visit?
Many hospitals have restricted visiting rights, so that only the closest relatives – if at all – the patient visit. At the University hospital of Zurich, for example, only visits to be allowed in ordinary situations, such as parents of hospitalized children, or close relatives of the dying or in need of support patients. If the Patient have no living will, will asked the Patient to the possibility of who the authorized Person is.
Increasingly, however, denied these visits to the hospital, because the risk of contagion is too high. People in Switzerland are not members, but should make a note of the name and contact information of relatives or close persons of trust abroad and a note in your wallet to Deposit, where these contact details are stored. This makes it easier for the already overburdened medical personnel work. Because if no authorized Person is known, the hospital on the police to find relatives, if the Patient dies. If this is not possible, you will be notified of the death of the Person to the civil registry office of the municipality of residence.
What documents do I need else, if I have to due to the Coronavirus to the hospital?
is power When it comes to practical daily life things, then a full or a precautionary order is a good idea. With a power of attorney, family members may make in their behalf, such as paying bills while you are in the hospital. This is only possible as long as you are judgment still capable of. If you lose the judgment ability, for example, because you have to be thoroughly medically cared for or not in the case of consciousness are extinguished this power of attorney. Then it needs a precautionary order. In this, you can decide who should look after your finances, or who should determine where you live after the hospital stay, if you are still able to decide for themselves.
article from the “observer”
This article was taken from the magazine “observer”. More exciting articles, see www.beobachter.ch
