[Gargamel]

This is a common practice in hospice / palliative care situations. It's to help the family move along in the grieving process. They want the passing to happen on their own terms, to give them some feeling of control. The treatment is not for the patient themselves, but for the family. The idea is to spend a little time to help the family, rather than extended amounts of time after in therapy / recovery.

I once had to bag a kid (10 month old, +/- a few months) for an hour and a half because our ventilator would not go to such a high rate, and low volume. My hands started cramping because of the high rate (60 breaths a minute, for 90 minutes), that I had to let the mother take over for a few minutes so I could work out the cramps. When we arrived at the hospice facility, the whole family was waiting. We placed the kid in the crib, and they removed the Tube. He died a few minutes later.

The transport wasn't for the kid, it was to give the family a place to mourn, and be able to accept the death.

Each family works differently, some want their loved ones at the Hospital, some want them at home. To each their own.

I dare anybody to say that these types of actions are a waste of money. To intentionally cause harm and grief to a family just because it will save a few dollars is barbaric.

And I fully understand the 60& figure. We're sickest when were almost dead. That's when we need the most care. And sometimes the family doesn't let go, dragging out a process that doesn't need to be. But to force the removal of life support systems on patients would be the equivalent of assisted suicide, but in this case it would be homicide, as you were forcing somebody to die who (or their proxy) didn't want to. I'm all for Euthanasia, but only if all parties are consensual.


I have a whole theory on health care providers point of view on the different types of grieving families, and How to approach them. But it's quit long winded, and I won't get into it unless somebody really wants to know.