Ethik, Kommunikation und interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit – per Gesetz?!

CONTEXT: The coronavirus pandemic of recent months has highlighted the fact that death is still a taboo regardless of the progress that has been made in palliative care. The concept of advance care planning is still not adequately practiced by individuals yet and we do not know enough about what is important for people in the last phase of their lives. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses can play an important in discussions about values and the ideas of what is important when death is getting closer. In Germany, there is a law (§ 132g Abs. 3 Sozialgesetzbuch V) that makes it possible to receive remuneration for these conversations. Hopefully, this is just the first of many steps to further develop ethics, communication and interdisciplinary collaboration.