NURS2003 Chapter Notes - Chapter 15: Do Not Resuscitate, Palliative Care, Advance Healthcare Directive
CHAPTER 15 – DEATH AND DYING
The Dying Person
Today, we have 3 major pathways to death: we may die suddenly without
warning; we may steadily decline and most often, we may battle an ultimately
fatal, chronic donation for a prolonged time
Before medicine, people died quickly and had a good deal of hands-on
experience with death
Today, we have “moved” death to old age and keep the act of dying hidden
from view
The physical process of dying is still “off the horizon”; but during the late
twentieth century, studying thanatology became popular
Thanatology: the study of death and dying
Doctors now openly tell patients their illness may be terminal and we urge
people to discuss their dying preferences, although talking about death is still
forbidden in some cultural groups
Kübler-Ross’ stage theory of dying: the landmark theory, described by
psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, that people who are terminally ill progress
through five stages in confronting their death: denial, anger, bargaining,
depression and acceptance
People pass through denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance
when they learn they have a fatal disease
However, we cannot take this landmark theory as the final truth
Not every person wants to talk about impending death
Many people disagree with Kübler-Ross that we should be totally honest with
dying loved ones
Furthermore, terminally ill people feel many different emotions – especially
hope
Rather than emotionally approaching death in “stages”, patients may
experience a state called middle knowledge
Even in the face of accepting death, dying people still have life goals
Middle knowledge: the idea that terminally ill people can know that they are dying
yet at the same time not completely grasp or come to terms emotionally with that
fact
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Today, we have 3 major pathways to death: we may die suddenly without warning; we may steadily decline and most often, we may battle an ultimately fatal, chronic donation for a prolonged time. Before medicine, people died quickly and had a good deal of hands-on experience with death. Today, we have moved death to old age and keep the act of dying hidden from view. The physical process of dying is still off the horizon ; but during the late twentieth century, studying thanatology became popular. Thanatology: the study of death and dying. Doctors now openly tell patients their illness may be terminal and we urge people to discuss their dying preferences, although talking about death is still forbidden in some cultural groups. K bler-ross" stage theory of dying: the landmark theory, described by psychiatrist elisabeth k bler-ross, that people who are terminally ill progress through five stages in confronting their death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
