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MCQ 15: Palliative SedationIn which situation is palliative sedation most ethically justified?A. Patient request for hastened deathB. Family's inability to cope with patient's sufferingC. Intractable symptoms causing severe distress at end of lifeD. To manage staff shortages in a hospiceE. As an alternative to pain medicationAnswer: Intractable symptoms causing severe distress at end of lifeExplanation: Palliative sedation is ethically justified when used to manage intractable symptoms causing severe distress at the end of life, after other treatments have failed. It's a last resort for symptom control, not a means of hastening death. It should not be used for staff convenience, as an alternative to adequate pain management, or solely based on family distress. Patient requests for hastened death require careful evaluation and exploration of underlying issues, not immediate sedation.