How to Make Doctors Think About Death

Health care providers must learn that end of life care is still care.

Modern health care accomplishes great feats of healing every day. But life ends; there are patients for whom real healing has become impossible. Their bodies have simply taken too many hits. Aggressive care can push back their death for a few days, but it is unlikely to keep them from dying soon.

These situations tend to be obvious to clinical staff, and especially nurses. We administer the hands-on care. But for those around us — physicians, families and the hospital generally — they are not at all clear, and too easily clouded by emotion. That’s why we need end-of-life treatment guidelines.

How to Make Doctors Think About Death