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Euphemistic Codes And Tell-Tale Hearts: Human Assistance In End-Of-Life Cases, George P. Smith Ii

Scholarly Articles

A euphemism is defined as the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive word or expression for one that is harsh, indelicate, or otherwise unpleasant taboo; allusion to an offensive thing by an inoffensive expression. This article deals with medical euphemisms used commonly through medical codes in hospitals for end-of-life patient care. It examines the extent to which fear shapes decision making in critical care units - fear of medical failure, and fear of litigation if not "everything" is done to prolong life, no matter how agonizing. Furthermore, being trained to save lives, health care providers often lack the courage to …