Video Catalog > Death and Dying

Born Dying poignantly, yet candidly, presents the agony of a couple who suddenly find themselves the parents of a dying baby and the plight of the neonatal ICU nurse who must provide direct care for the baby until a treatment decision is made. After an emergency C-section, the baby's mother is confronted in her hospital room by a variety of individuals concerned with the outcome of the parents' decision: the pediatrician, the maternal grandmother of the baby, the paternal grandfather, the assistant administrator of the hospital, the mother of a handicapped child, a right-to-life representative, and an advocate for the handicapped. These individuals represent a composite of the various opinions that might be expressed to parents in this situation.

Interwoven with these dramatic monologues are several scenes in the neonatal ICU which trace the deteriorating condition of the baby and focus on the critical role of the ICU nurse. The film does not attempt to resolve the treatment/no-treatment dilemma; there are no easy answers to a situation of this nature. The film should be used as a springboard to discussion of this sensitive area of health care within individual institutions. Born Dying is appropriate for college courses in ethics and religion as well as nursing and medical school courses; it is highly effective for inservice and continuing education.

Color, 20 minutes, VHS, DVD

Price : $150.00

Awards: Chris Plaque, Columbus; HM, AJN; Certificate of Merit, Intercom