A person can read textbooks, medical journals, and any online source, but will struggle to find a clear definition of what constitutes a "good" death for a patient. This is because the definition of a “good” death varies from one individual to another. The Institute of Medicine in 1997 defined a “good” death as one “free of avoidable distress and suffering for patients, families, and caregivers; in general agreement with the wishes of the patients' families; and reasonably consistent with clinical, cultural and ethical standards” (field 12). The importance is focused on the patient and his family, while accommodating all medical procedures and inclinations. Using this definition and three sources, This Wild Darkness by Harold Brodkey, And A Time to Die by Sharon Kaufman, and Brother I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat, it is clear that there are four main factors that constitute a "good" death. These four factors are symptom control, a good relationship with healthcare providers, adequate preparation and acceptance of death, and an opportunity for closure or sense of completion in the patient's life. From a physical perspective, no criterion is more important than controlling symptoms throughout the dying process. Often, patients involved in hospice or palliative care take medications to help manage symptoms associated with terminal illness. Federal guidelines governing hospice care require that every reasonable effort be made to ensure that the patient's pain is managed, and for many, pain is the most important symptom to keep under control. Doctors are likely to begin treating pain by prescribing over-the-counter pain medications such as Tylenol, Aspirin, and others. Like... flat in the middle of the paper. Volunteers provide comfort through human presence and a break from the norm. Forgetting the illness and instead discussing the life experienced can have a profound effect on the patient's mood towards death. Overall, all of these positions contribute to the success of the hospice and palliative care process because they improve the patient's quality of life, and a high quality of life is extremely important to achieving a “good” death. This is why an open and healthy relationship between the healthcare team and the patient is essential to achieve a “good” death. Between the increase in physical treatments and the final preparation and acceptance of death comes a time when the patient must find closure. It is this closure that is most important to the dying process, and one is unlikely to have a “good” death unless an appropriate conclusion is reached...