THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The articles tackle the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the health care system in providing end-of-life care and balancing priorities. The article pointed out that the nurses play a significant role in managing end-of-life care because they are the one who is in contact and giving support to the patient and the family. This article also talks about ethical rationing, which emerged due to the shortage of essential resources such as personal protective equipment; thus, visitors such as family members are restricted from visiting their confined patients. The consequences of restricted access for the families are likely to impact the dying patient significantly. Also, the article pointed out that many patients died in the ICU or hospital alone without having the possibility to have their family and significant others by their side; therefore, a sound and peaceful death is somehow altered in this trying time. End-of-life care and peaceful death are compromised because of these different restrictions to prevent virus spread; thus, this will significantly impact the dying patient and grieving family.