Dignity and integrity at the end of life

This article briefly examines what is meant by a 'good death' and looks in detail at the idea of 'death with dignity' as one such concept. This may be best understood not as a manner of dying, but as a manner of treating those who are dying. The relationships between dignity, self-respect and integrity are explored and illustrated with examples from both the literature and clinical practice. Nursing in a way that preserves or restores a patients' dignity in the face of illness and death makes severe demands on a nurse's integrity. The importance of having institutional mechanisms in place which assist the nurse in this work is emphasized, as is the need for clinical supervision in nursing.