Extreme Measures

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An ICU and Palliative Care specialist featured in a Netflix documentary offers a transformative framework for approaching end-of-life care that challenges our medical culture. Jessica Zitter entered medicine to be a hero, specializing in critical care with the hope of saving lives. However, her first experience in the ICU—performing CPR on a frail, elderly patient—led her to question her path. This journey from aspiring hero to compassionate caregiver is central to the narrative. Zitter highlights the troubling trend in our medical system where the elderly and ill are often subjected to aggressive interventions, which she describes as the End-of-Life Conveyor belt. Patients are frequently intubated and isolated in care facilities, facing their final days in confusion and pain. Through her work, Zitter discovers that patients fear not death itself but the possibility of a painful and undignified demise. She emphasizes the importance of understanding patients' values and preferences, fostering connections between them and their caregivers, and ensuring support from loved ones. By sharing poignant patient stories, she enriches the conversation around end-of-life experiences, advocating for a compassionate approach that allows for a dignified and meaningful farewell.