Talking about death

I left the session with immense intrigue not only in the notion of death as a
modern taboo, but also in humanitys anxiety of death as a force shaping
the ethos of medicine. The talk also reminded me that at critical times,
when a patients physical deterioration brings upon them terrible anxiety,
confusion and depression, that the support of a physician who
understands the human condition can be most valuable.
The talk inspired renewed appreciation for the importance of
communication in achieving optimal patient care during and at the end of
life.
Communication is crucial in providing quality patient care throughout life
and even more so, at the end of life. Effective end-of-life planning is only
possible once ongoing early conversations are taking place to encourage
an open and honest doctor-patient relationship to adeptly balance hope
and reality. A lack of this vital communication between patients and
doctors leaves each isolated culminating in poor care, uncontrolled pain
and futile treatment.
If communication at the end of life is so important, then why are
conversations about death not initiated earlier and more frequently?
Doctors rarely talk about death to their patients not because they dont
care, but because they are unsure of how best to deal with death. Perhaps
it is the human denial of the inevitability of death, or it is a hesitance to
accept treatment failure a phenomenon strife in medicine. Indeed, it is
often an illogical emphasis on cure-at-any-cost that is culprit to poor endof-life communication. Moreover, physicians with a wealth of scientific
knowledge but little understanding of the mechanisms, drives and
weaknesses of the mind are unable to offer connection and support at
times of desperate need. As the presentation has highlighted,
understanding of the primal needs of patients and the complex psychic
battles which each face, can be gained only from talking to patients,
encouraging them to voice their emotional needs. Therefore physicians as
individuals and modern medicine as a whole must recognize that
communication is crucial in enabling doctors to help provide quality life,
even at its end.