Autonomy in palliative care: concepts and perceptions of a health teamwork

Objectives: To analyze the concept that a health teamwork, acting on the field of palliative care, has about the terminal patient's autonomy and to identify the attitude of professionals facing the manifestation of that autonomy. Methods: Exploratory and descriptive study with a qualitative approach. 22 members of a palliative care team were interviewed. The data was analyzed using the content analysis methodology Results: Three different categories were obtained from each professional group (Groups I and II): understanding the autonomy of terminal patients in a palliative care context, reactions of professionals on the daily assistance services, and, limitations of the relationship (autonomy vs. palliative care). Conclusion: Autonomy is an essential component in the palliative care philosophy; it must be able of creating ethical sustainability, applicable to therapeutic projects of terminal patients.