I always dreamed of nursing in a fast-paced ICU, but had not thought about the deaths I would encounter in my role. No one warns you about them, or how traumatic they can be. As health professionals, we focus on prolonging life and curing disease. We often forget that death is inevitable. I feel it is just as important to ensure a good death as it is to care for those who are ill. Jane* was in the early stages of dementia when she underwent major surgery that required ICU monitoring after the operation. Her husband and primary caregiver was at her bedside throughout, and told me that she only agreed to the surgery because, without it, she would die. She ‘demanded’ he not prolong her sufferi...