Ars Moriendi: An Overview of Approaches to the Art of Dying, Grief and Loss for Nurses Working in Mental Health

Applying Lessons From Ars Moriendi to Foster Dying Well in Acute Care Settings

“…3 Medical means did not exist to delay or prevent death, and subsequently, part of the instruction was to strive for honesty and avoid promoting false hope at the bedside. 8 Today, people live longer with significant morbidities and may have several episodes of life-threatening illnesses before the actual terminal phase, making it harder for families to accept that recovery is not always possible. A societal shift toward accepting mortality would lend to earlier open dialogue surrounding EOL preferences for aggressive treatment, preferred place of death, and, subsequently, less futile interventions.…”

“…In the Middle Ages, death was not only acknowledged; it was viewed as a natural and necessary part of life, worthy of being consciously experienced within the context of community 3 . Medical means did not exist to delay or prevent death, and subsequently, part of the instruction was to strive for honesty and avoid promoting false hope at the bedside 8 . Today, people live longer with significant morbidities and may have several episodes of life-threatening illnesses before the actual terminal phase, making it harder for families to accept that recovery is not always possible.…”