Authors

  1. NORRIS, VICKI RN, BSN

Article Content

I was not impressed with the research you reported in the October issue ("Hospice Care: Patients Who Refuse to Eat Die Peacefully," Clinical Rounds). It seemed to extol refusing food and fluids as a way to die "peacefully," a "good" death. The study relied on nurses' memories of events as far back as 4 years. Just what was their definition of a "good" death? For some of us, death by any type of euthanasia or assisted suicide is neither natural nor morally acceptable. We can only hope that our health care providers will respect our beliefs and values as well.