Thursday, July 8, 2010

A Patient's Death

Things that I love about being present when a patient dies:

People stop paying attention to numbers, alarms, and medicines, and start paying attention to people.
The sacredness of life is recognized.
It is a moment infused with the same inherent holiness as a birth, or a marriage.
I can ensure that the patient didn’t die alone.
It gives me permission to show my emotional involvement in patient care.
It brings me face to face with a truth that most people expend vast energies denying, making me more honest.

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