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American Journal of Critical Care. 2007;16: 531
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The Importance of Perspective in End-of-Life Care Decisions
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES
None reported.

The May 2007 article by Day1 was a unique and thought-provoking view of "conflicts and tragedy" for end-of-life caregivers. I read The Iliad many years ago and actually have a copy of it in my library; Day’s perspective has piqued my interest and appetite for this type of literature and I think I’ll read it again!

The issue of "a fight for dignity" is a curious one. As Day noted, one’s dignity is a point of view that depends on which side of the bed we find ourselves. From the family’s viewpoint, dignity may be to "continue aggressive treatment to support their loved one’s life," whereas the physicians and nurses feel that to continue to poke, prod, and stick the patient, and to put a tube in every orifice available when there really is no hope of a meaningful recovery, is both cruel and undignified.

Quite a few times I’ve said the very same thing (not in the exact words, of course, but close) that Day writes here: "In the 21st century critical care unit, life-support technology is becoming more and more difficult to reconcile with notions of good and human dignity...."1(p292) Many thanks for an enlightening and thought-provoking article.

Gail Batson, RN, BSN
Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, Natchitoches, Louisiana

REFERENCES

  1. Day L. Lessons from the classics: conflict and tragedy in critical care at the end of life. Am J Crit Care. 2007;16(3):290–293.[Free Full Text]




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