DALLAS: A major healthcare organisation has been accused of an “industrialised” approach to death, with staff prioritising “box ticking” rather than meeting the needs of individual patients.
The president of an association spoke out after the publication of new hospital guidelines reminding doctors and nurses to give water to the dying.
“Staff often suffered from compassion fatigue and failed to respond to individual needs,” he said.
The guidance says those nearing the end of life must be given support to drink if they wish, amid concerns that vulnerable people are being left to die thirsty.
An overhaul of end-of-life care has been ordered after repeated cases in which elderly patients were found to have had treatment and fluids stopped without their consent or knowledge.
Such practices were supposed to be stopped last year. But charities have said some hospitals are simply operating the same protocols under “a different name”…