The average patient is in hospice 59 days. Hospice is for those who are terminally ill, who can no longer take care of themselves and their families are unable to help, and it is also for the cancer patients when chemotherapy and other drugs are at its end and are enable to fight the disease. The decision of hospice is decided by the patient, family and physician. Hospice services are provided by a group of professionals who works as a team to develop the best care plan for the patients as well as their families; those professionals include: Nursing services, physician participation, medical social services, counseling, Pastoral or spiritual bereavement counseling (for family up to one year after patients death), dietary, home health aide services, medications, medical equipment, other medical supplies, laboratory and other diagnostic studies related to terminal illness. Therapy (physical, speech,
The palliative team may consist of the doctors, nurses, councilors, social workers, dieticians, clergy, therapist and trained volunteers. “Palliative care addresses the emotional, physical, practical, and spiritual issues of cancer” (Arthur Unknown, 2010). However, considering that the breast cancer has metastasized to the lungs, and no further treatment options are viable, a hospice evaluation appears to be warranted. Hospice, like palliative care includes the same interdisciplinary team members. “Hospice care is a form of palliative care that is given to a person when cancer therapies are no longer controlling the disease.
Treatment plan “Approximately 28%–58% of individuals with heart failure (HF) suffer from cognitive impairment, commonly identified as difficulty with concentration and/or memory” (Bauer, Johnson, & Pozehl, 2011 p. 577). Mr. P needs a treatment plan that he will be able to adhere, considering his cognitive decline. His wife should be included in his treatment plan and will have to become a leader from now on. When Mr. P admitted to the emergency department, nurses provide basic care in order to sustain life. Nurses should be recording vital signs, order appropriate laboratory work ups, put Mr. P on oxygen via cannula, put him on I&O, administer prescribed medications, and strict daily weights.
7 of the text, and this week’s articles on cardiovascular health. Remember—you will come into contact with seniors from all walks of life, so write questions that are direct, yet friendly. Apply judgment when writing questions; you cannot possibly cover all forms of cardiovascular disease with one 10-question interview. Finally, imagine you are actually conducting the interviews within a retirement community when one interviewee says her sister has been diagnosed with a particular cardiovascular disease. She wants you to explain what must be done to treat the disease because her sister did not understand the doctor’s explanation.
District nursing teams provide services to patients who are housebound and unable to visit their GP or local health centre. The service provides individualised patient-centred care that takes into account patient choice and appropriate care given by highly skilled staff (QNI, 2010).The Queens Nursing Institute launched a campaign called 'Right Nurse, Right Skills' which aims to ensure that patients get the right care in their own homes. The QNI provides a wide range of support for community nurses at all stages in their careers and influences policies which affect community nursing and patients (QNI, 2011). Health policy developments in recent years, have developed around the reduction in cost and making resources more effective (DOH, 2009). A clear example of this was highlighted in the transforming community services program.
It also reduces any anxiety that the family members may be feeling if the patient has their wishes laid out for them to follow. Many elderly patients prefer to die at home and should be given the option to do so. Hospice care can assist these families with caring for their loved ones. During this time, when the treatments for a person’s disease may stop, the care the individual needs will continue. The primary concern is to ensure that the patient is as comfortable as possible and that any emotional and psychological needs are being addressed.
From a patients perspective : Since this hospice provides care for those that are in their last days of living from terminally ill diseases. Their objective is to enable their patients to “die with dignity”. While at the Hospice patients are going to through many emotions like stress and anxiety. The patients are told what is happening at every stage of their care. The hospice provides patients with the treatment and care they specifically need.
This is due to machines prolonging life, medications are stronger when administered by a nurse versus a by mouth pain pill and due to rigorous disease treatment cycles (cancer, lung disease, HIV, Hep B/C, etc) Most patients that are able to relay information in their last days, would like to die a good death. By dying a good death, it can be explained as suffering from minimal pain, having friends and family around, and a non hospital setting. “Influenced by concerns regarding the care of dying people, scientific and debates about assisted suicide and euthanasia, strategic documents privilege the pursuit of a ‘good death’ by raising the profile of dying people’s needs and preferences, prioritizing choice, inviting individuals to plan for their dying and deaths and encouraging the use of end-of-life care pathways for the imminently dying.” (WATTS, T. T. (2012) It is critical to remember that few patients are admitted into the hospital because they want to be there. “It can become stressful when one comes to know that he or she is
It is important for the nurse to be familiar with end-of-life care options and opportunities in order to educate the patient and support them with whatever decision they choose. Many elderly patients wish to receive their end-of-life care in their own homes. Palliative care and hospice programs were created in order to help the elderly patients achieve their desires; however, there are numerous limitations that can make end-of-life care at home difficult to achieve. It is believed that end-of-life care at home isn’t as evident as individuals thought it would be due to the fact there are difficulties with having the appropriate technology needed to provide care and the inability of the medical staff to appropriately deal with and educate families (Silva, Poles, & Baliza, 2013). As stated in the research, “it appears that this is a stressful experience for professionals, mainly due to their inability to deal with the families and the lack of availability of technological resources” (Silva, Poles, & Baliza, 2013).
Losing it all The Reality of Alzheimer's Disease - Documentary Video Health 200 project – Movie Critique Prepared by: Firas Haddad PN 0910 February 4th 2011 Losing it all – Documentary - The Reality of Alzheimer's Disease Proper understanding of Alzheimer’s disease is a very important tool for nurses so they can develop therapeutic communications techniques with those clients, it is also important for the caregivers to know how to deal with their diseased family member. This documentary offers a personal glimpse into the lives of five victims of Alzheimer disease and their loving families, among which lots of grief and frustration were built up over the years. The families who are the caregivers in most of these cases talks