The rights of the dying patient

Abstract

At no time in our history have we been so reluctant to face death and discuss it. Death, which is such an intrinsic part of life, has become a taboo for today's culture. In actual fact, it is not death itself that people dread, but the manner, time and even place of death. As a result of this fear to talk about death, today's culture is facing the danger of leaving the dying to approach their end unsupported not only by their relatives, but even by health carers. In order to provide the best possible care and treatment for dying patients, nurses, doctors and other health care professionals who come in direct contact with terminally-ill patients need to be trained in those attitudes and dispositions which enable them to approach the dying patient with skills and confidence with which they treat other patients. Training in palliative care, or care of the dying, needs to feature more prominently in the curriculum of all health care professionals.