Facing Death (full documentary) | FRONTLINE

FRONTLINE examined the difficult and emotional decisions that families confront when their loved one is gravely ill, and the complicated reality of dying in an era of modern medicine. (Aired 2010)

In this 2010 documentary, FRONTLINE gained access to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of one of New York’s biggest hospitals. The filmmakers found doctors and nurses struggling to guide families through a maze of end-of-life choices that had become available: whether to pull feeding and breathing tubes, when to perform expensive surgeries and therapies and when to call for hospice. The documentary presented intimate portraits of patients grappling with the trade-offs of modern medicine and the prospect of dying.

Explore additional reporting on "Facing Death" on our website:

#Documentary #ICU

FRONTLINE is produced at GBH in Boston and airs nationwide on PBS.

Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation; Park Foundation; the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation, and additional support from Koo and Patricia Yuen.

CHAPTERS:
Prologue - 00:00
Life and Death Decisions in an Intensive Care Unit - 1:13
Extending Life or Prolonging Death? A Family Decides on Life Support - 11:01
The Uncertainty of Disease Progression v. Medical Innovation - 16:51
Talking About End-of-Life Care and Options - 32:37
The Trade-Offs of Advances in Medicine- 47:33
Credits - 51:38

[toothfairy]

My father was an MD. He was diagnosed with leukemia at 51 YO. He passed away when I was 22 YO. He ALWAYS believed that your QUALITY of life matters more than your QUANTITY of life. It was HORRIBLE when he went thru chemo! It’s been almost 30 years since he’s been gone, but everyday I think about him. ❤️

[MrsRobinson]

My dad had lung cancer, refused any treatment and worked the day before he went into a coma. He died peacefully 2 days later. At the time I was upset that he didn’t get treatment so I could have him a little longer. With the wisdom of age, now I know he did the right thing for himself and he kept his family from witnessing a long, torturous decline. I love you daddy and I miss you every day.

[Mrs.TJTaylor]

I’m 70. I had one debilitating illness at age 63. I was bedridden for two years and was as helpless as a newborn. I couldn’t walk or talk or make a sandwich or bathe myself. Six years after the fact, I’m still not all the way back. I may never be. So, if I’m that ill again, I don’t want to survive. I am a DNR. I won’t be put on “life support” ever. Coming back from that kind of catastrophic illness is the definition of suffering. I’m 70. I’ve had a good life. I’m satisfied. Let me go.

[navaskin]

I was given 72 hrs. Six years back. My body was shutting down. I'm greatful to be here.

[veeherreraJanecka]

These dear patients are so brave to allow cameras into their most personal and most difficult moments. God bless them all 🙏🏽

[ShannonMLong]

I'm in Hospice, and it's been absolutely an amazing experience. I'm at home, while I'm deteorating - I live everyday. We know our bodies, and Death - that's the easy part.. Live your best life, stay comfortable, and God Bless You All ❤❤❤

[ji]

I’ve been a RN since 1996. I’ve seen so much death. I respect families that put their wishes aside and abide by their loved ones wishes. My dad said “ I want to die at home at the beach”. He had Congestive heart failure. He came home. I put on his favorite music-opera. Everyone visited. On day 3 he slipped into unconsciousness and died after saying goodbye to ALL his family. It was so peaceful and beautiful.

[BrendaNeedle]

My daughter, at the age of 8yrs. old, had Bacterial Meningitis. Her Dr.( pediatrician) told me to " prepare myself, and being in the healthcare myself, I knew what he meant. I never left her side. She was in a coma for 3 days, and came put of the coma. 10 days later she had made a full recovery. Today, she is a healthy 46 yr. mom, and also in Healthcare. I still believe in miracles.

[Professional_Victim_Her]

I am a trauma nurse and I implore everyone watching this video to have these conversations with your families and health care providers NOW! Have paperwork detailing your medical wishes in case of a catastrophic illness or injury in place. And families, please honor their wishes! It broke my heart to see the woman’s daughter, who is an M.D. override her sister who seems to be a pretty knowledgeable R.N. and insist on giving her elderly mother with end stage dementia a painful tracheotomy, to which she will now be ventilator-dependent for the rest of her life. What kind of quality of life is that? And I get it…it is gut wrenching to be put into the position to have to make these life or death decisions for your spouse, or parent, or sibling. But first do no harm. Have the talks NOW and HONOR their wishes.

[marilynb]

I've been a nurse for over 40 years and have seen a lot of death. Believe me, there are worse things than dying.

[mintsmith]

As an ICU nurse, this documentary is absolutely necessary.

[shirleyashanti]

There were 3 things mama wanted: Cook in her kitchen, work in her garden, go to her church. If that wasn't possible, life was fruitless. DO NOT intubate, ventilate, oxygenate, resuscitate, or hydrate was how she set things up, what she wanted, but left final decision to me and not doctors. In hospice she said that I needed to get myself together and that nobody comes here to stay. I miss that lady, my mama. She taught me how to live and how to die.

[reneerosene]

My mother died in November 2022 . She was very ill and did not want to live like that. As hard as it was my brother and I knew her wishes. She wasn't afraid to die she told me this many times. She just didn't want to hurt anymore.
We honored our mother and stopped trying to extend her time. They are right there are more things that are worse than death.
I miss my mother so much and at the same time so grateful that she isn't here in pain anymore.

[tiadavenport]

I held my baby as she passed. It was the hardest experience I've ever had, but I knew she was at peace, and free of all her pain.

[duaneayers]

I went through this with my mom around 3 years ago. No one can stop death. Now for me to be there with my mom taking her last breath. Meant the world to me. I feel so blessed to gotten that opportunity. It's all a part of life.

[thedeepthinker]

I started my Nursing career in Hopice, then Oncology, followed by Neuro/trauma/medical-surgical ICU. Now, i am a mental health RN and it gives me a new perspective in life. I'm not handling pts with poor prognosis to die but helping patients not to take their own lives. All my experiences have taught me how fragile life is and understand my Bible the more I care for the sick. I consider it a privilege to be of service to people in their vulnerable state. 🙏🏽 🤲

[connied]

I wached my father suffer unbelievable conditions because my family couldn't let him pass. I applaud the nurses who help with a person on their journey home.

[cdean]

My precious Mama died peacefully at age 97. Healthy her whole life and went down quickly, her heart just gave out. We were able to keep her at home with the help of Hospice. She slipped away peacefully with me and my brother at her side. Thank God we knew and abided by her wishes. Five years now and i miss her everyday. I love you Mama...❤❤❤

[lifeoflw]

The day my brother was pulled off life support in the ICU there was a young kid across the room he had been in a coma for a month.. he woke up! I wished so hard my brother could have came back but knowing another family didn’t have to go threw what we did brings tears to my eyes that he could still be here with his family.. my brother was 21.. head injury freak accident.. live everyday like it’s your last cause you never know! May 24 will be 17 years since it happened.. i hope that kid that woke up that day lives the best life! RIP Troy! 🤍💙

[petemiller]

I am an oncology nurse but sometimes I float to our hospice unit to pick up extra shifts. Hospice is such a better place for someone near the end of their life to be. No alarms going off, no invasive tubes and lines. It is quiet, pleasant, dignified. The medication station is filled with comfort-care medications that make the dying process easier. There are family suites attached to each room so that the family can stay overnight with the patient in a comfortable and spacious setting, and enjoy spending precious moments near the end. It is a better place to die than the ICU by many orders of magnitude.