When it comes to palliative care, there is generally a standard of care, a path that each patient follows. The patient shows X sign, we do X intervention...so on and so forth, it is pretty basic.
Or it is unless you are a patient of Dr.A. Then it all changes. In Dr.A's opinion you likely aren't even dying. In your chart under Dr's Progress Notes will likely be written "Pt improving. More responsive today." The day Dr.A writes this the nurses will have noticed and reported to Dr.A that you are no longer opening your eyes and still do not have a gag reflex.
To this Dr.A will say "Try giving pt more water." When nursing staff object as the pt is not swallowing, Dr.A will reply "It will take a lot of water to kill the pt."
And the nursing staff all gasps and is horrified...news of the new order spreads.
The consensus is "it's not going to be me who tries giving him water...I'm not going to kill him."
Thank goodness nurses have minds of their own and do not follow Dr's orders to a T.
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