13. Palliative Care, Hospice Care, and End-of-Life Care

Question 1

Palliative Care

Answer 1

Palliative Care is the prevention and treatment of the symptoms and side effects of a serious illness.
-Physiological, emotional, social, and spiritual problems are considered.

Question 2

When can palliative care be initiated?

Answer 2

Anytime during a disease or life-threatening illness.

This type of care has been found to be the most beneficial when it is initiated early.

Symptom management may include the management of pain, anxiety, dyspnea, urticaria, nausea/vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea, among other symptoms.

Question 3

All critically ill pts deserve

Answer 3

palliative care.

Aggressive treatment may be confined.

Palliative care has been shown to improve survival, decrease resource utilization, and decrease hospital readmissions and the cost of care.

Question 4

Hospice Care

Answer 4

Hospice care is the provision of symptom management for those with a TERMINAL illness.
-It includes palliative care, but disease-modifying treatments are discontinued unless they may provide symptom management.

-Grief and bereavement services are included.

Question 5

End-of-Life Care (EOL)

Answer 5

EOL care supports the needs of pts and their families at the time of imminent death. It is always a part of hospice care, and it may or may not be a part of palliative care.
-It is provided to all pts who are at the end of their lives, regardless of whether or not palliative care of hospice care were initiated.

Question 6

EOL care avoids

Answer 6

prolongation of the dying process while providing support to the pt’s family.

Question 7

Similarities between palliative care, hospice care, and end-of-life care

Answer 7

all 3 of these types of care involve:

-advance care planning
-focusing on pt/family wishes
-optimizing quality of life