Palliative medicine

It was near my rural Minnesota home in a small community hospital where I first experienced medicine, medicine as I believe should be. My experience there instilled in me a vision of what well practiced medicine should be, could be. In general, my work as an Emergency Physician has provided me with a sense of fulfillment, but the patient encounters of a particular variety in multiple community Emergency Department (ED) settings have afforded me new perspectives on what constitutes well practiced medicine. Patients often present experiencing acute exacerbations of their chronic conditions with limited tools to affect their symptoms. These patients are all too often stuck in the hospital revolving door, leaving them frustrated and me wondering if there isn’t a better way to provide care. During my medical education Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) was something I regarded as the place where terminal cancer patients were referred for pain control and assisted living. Since the start of my practice of emergency medicine the patients I have seen, and…

Physician assisted suicide is a relatively new topic that is causing a lot of discussion about the ethics and legal right for a person to choose to end their life. This continues to be a controversial topic in the healthcare field because research and medicine are evolving constantly, bringing about changes in societies view on death. As a member in the healthcare field it is important to explore alternatives for ones end of life care and understand the perspectives that society comprises about…

months left to live and could end up debilitating quickly from a terminal disease, what would you do? Would you go for hospice, palliative care, pain management, or would you consider death with dignity. Death with dignity is something some are not aware of this; as it is legal in only three states, legal with court approved in three states, eleven states considering it, twelve states considered it but did not pass the legislation, and eleven states with no activity with death with dignity.…

just be avoided. Now that may sound heartless but, in the end, emotional pain is what kills us all. How could the legalization of euthanasia come to be? The controversy isn’t about answering the patient’s death wish, it’s basically allowing malpractice to be legal. Malpractice is committed worldwide just about every day, so why not legalize it; with official papers of course. It’s up to the patient to do what they want with their life, so if they want to end the pain of a disease or other…

Losing someone unexpectedly hurts but when you have a loved one in hospice care the hurt is indescribable. Reading the article, “when a loved one is terminally ill” gives insight with dealing with death. The writer reminds us just because a person is in hospice doesn’t mean they are going to die that moment. The writer describes it as “time stopping” once the diagnosis has been given, as family members we refuse to believe that this is the end. The article helps give guidance, with the…

Estelle is unable to move and therefore increasing her risk of potentially acquiring pressure ulcers or skin tears. Although the compromise of skin integrity is not always inevitable in a patient who are undergoing palliative care (Matzo & Sherman, 2015) interventions must be set in place to prevent this issue. These may include having the nurse complete daily skin assessments to evaluate the integrity and intervene early if any signs are noted that could indicate a potential risk factor.…

Currently, patients facing a terminal illness spend their final days either at home, at a hospital or in hospice care. A terminally ill patient’s treatment may be based on their insurance. After treatment options have been exhausted, there are not many options left for the terminally ill. Terminally ill may either receive aggressive treatment, palliative care, or pain control. However, there is no way of knowing how a terminally ill patient’s last days will be. Consequently, many terminally ill…

This information should include whether assisted suicide is right for them. There should be education in what palliative care is and what receiving palliative care looks like realistically. According to Gamondi (2013, p.4) terminal patients that are interested in assisted suicide did not even want to talk with care staff regarding their decision. Patients were also scared to use pain medication for fear of drug addiction and a belief that it will prohibit the decision making process.…

1. I do think terminally ill inmates should be addressed by correctional facilities with programs such as hospice care, especially those prisons who have a significant population of aged offenders; for example, Angola has 85% of its population already aging. Programs that address terminally ill patients, such as the hospice program, do not only benefit the patient, but also the inmate who volunteers and the nurses; it allows for the inmate to stop thinking in selfish ways because he is now…

What strikes you as most important to remember as someone working in palliative care? • I believe one of the most important aspects to remember when working in palliative care is to be flexible. Patients can often change their mind as treatment progresses, leaving them fearful, irritable and angry at their illness. By being flexible, caregivers can adjust their care procedures to suit the changing needs of their patients while maximizing their satisfaction with their care. 29. What are the…