>The terminal sedation is excused as “pain control” in numerous patients who never voiced any concern of pain<
Again I couldn’t disagree more. Being in the field in pts homes, doing the evaluations, ordering medications as needed, being at the bedside, something that drs don’t do, I have never, nor have I ever seen or heard of anyone giving pain medication to someone who is not in pain.
I have had lengthy conversations with Ron Panzer at Hospice Patients Alliance as well as the administrators, medical directors, and pastoral staff of a number of hospices in this region.
Unfortunately, every patient receives morphine and haldol in the pack of meds prescribed to every patient admitted to hospice and it is used quite frequently even for those patients not expressing concerns of pain or showing signs of agitation.
I'm glad your experience was positive and you were not involved in or exposed to this kind of abuse, but it is widespread in the industry.