Abstract

The purpose of this study is to evaluate how palliative terminal sedation therapy (PST) has changed over time in a hospice setting and what psychosocial variables have influenced it. The prevalence of palliative/terminal sedation therapy (PST) was explored, as well as numerous characteristics associated with the decision-making process in PST (awareness of death, impairment of cognitive function, discussion of sedation with physicians, etc.). The caregiver is always the translator in the decision-making process, notwithstanding a lower inclination among patients who are ignorant that they are dying. Furthermore, when the caregiver was the key interlocutor in the decisionmaking process, the chances of conscious sedation occurring before deep sedation were significantly reduced. The relevance of the patient's decision-making appears to be linked to the patient's comprehension of the death process, and the families' duties are a key concern in healthcare treatments.