La gestione del dolore nei pazienti terminali : una indagine in Liguria

This paper investigates the dynamics between anaesthesia/resuscitation specialists and the family members of patients at end-of-life, in disease settings where palliative care is necessary in order to understand how the latter can bring relief not only to the patient, but also their families. It will discuss the problems encountered by both sides, with particular attention to how family members perceive the disease within hospitals and/or hospice and as anesthetists / resuscitators meet the needs of the patient through the care of pain in respect of ministerial protocols for the use of opioids. The paper discusses the findings of a ethnographic study carried out in Imperia Province, Italy, at two hospital structures and a hospice, which was followed by eight indepth interviews with anaesthesia/resuscitation specialists and thirty family members of terminal patients. [Publishers' text].