Comfort, end of life care Flashcards
Primary purpose of End of life care
prolong life or to improve quality of life (QOL).
what is more important prolonging life or preserving QOL
Preserving QOL
Nurses role in end of life
Family and patient support/teaching
Medication administration
Assessing for death (heart auscultation)
Notifying the next of kin (NOK)
Coordination with the funeral home
Preparing the body (you will never do this alone!)
Assessing for organ donation
Etiology
he cause, set of causes, or manner of causation of a disease or condition.
Social death
occurs when others begin to withdraw from someone who is terminally ill or has been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Psychic death
occurs when the dying person begins to accept death and to withdraw from others and regress into the self.
Brain death
is the irreversible cessation of all cerebral and brainstem functions, including the ability of the brain stem to regulate vegetative and respiratory activities
Autonomy
Patients have the right to self-determination, including the right to stop or withhold lifesaving care.
Patients also have the right to a dignified death.
Beneficence
The obligation to “do good” for the patient, including minimizing suffering
Nonmaleficence:
The obligation to do no harm
This may come into conflict with the other principles (autonomy and beneficence) during end-of-life care, which generally take precedence over nonmaleficence.
Many situations offer no truly “good” options.
What id the dying patient wishes to stop nutrition
We listen to them
Inadequate hydration may do what to a dying patient
should be tailored to the individual case
a living will allows the patient to
document wishes at the end of life. Goes into effect when 2 physicians certify the patient is unable to make decision. Patient is terminally ill or in a permanent state of unconsciousness
Medical per of attorney is
known as a healthcare proxy. Allows the patient to appoint someone to make medical decisions for the patient. Goes in effect when a physician concludes that the patient is unable to make sure their own decisions
“I feel bad. We are starving him!”
The digestive and respiratory systems begin to shut down during the gradual process of dying.A dying person no longer wants to eat as digestion slows and the digestive track loses moisture and chewing, swallowing, and elimination become painful processes.
“Why is she so cold?”
Circulation slows and mottling or the pooling of blood may be noticeable on the underside of the body appearing much like bruising.
“It sounds like he is drowning!”
Breathing becomes more sporadic and shallow and may make a rattling sound (“death rattle”) as air travels through mucus filled passageways
“Should I be talking to her?”
The person often sleeps more and more and may talk less although continues to hear.
“They passed away but they groaned!”
When air and gases left in a corpse start to escape through the throat and nose, they could make the vocal cords vibrate, resulting in a noise that sounds like a groan
Birth - 2 understanding of death
no understanding sensitive to loss and serperation
age 3-5 understanding on death
death is reversible thought include magical thinking
age 6-9understanding of death
understand the concrete finality. difficult receiving their own death may be peroccupues with medical or physical aspects of dying