Opieka nad dzieckiem w stanie zagrożenia życia – problemy z pogranicza medycyny i teologii

Abstract

A pediatrician is fully responsible for the life and health of a child. Fulfilling this responsibility requires the physician to possess not only professional skills, but also appropriate mental and moral predispositions. Ethical and moral competences become especially important when a decision belonging to the shadowland between life and death is to be made. Answers pertaining to the subject are associated with understanding of the meaning of human life, human dignity and rights that are given to a human being as his due. Thus, the ethical foundation of the discussion is the type of accepted anthropology and faith in God or lack thereof. A Christian believes human life to be a gift of God and this is why he is not its sole owner. Such a perspective extends and intensifies the relationship between the physician and the patient, since it builds such relations on the commandment of love of another human being and love of God. An absence of such a virtue may be manifested by an escape into procedures, which are not bad in and of itself, but - when devoid of love – cause a loss of the patient's subjectivity and become callous. The physician – a servant and defender of life – cannot merely become an official who adequately follows instructions he has been given. The paper is an attempt at presenting moral values that determine medical decisions. Their source lies in God and the barrier that cannot be crossed is His commandment “Thou shalt not kill”.