End of Life Care Flashcards
What is pallative care?
Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual
What is meant by the term ‘approaching the end of life’?
likely to die within the next 12 months
What defines those facing imminent death?
- Advanced, progressive, incurable conditions
- General frailty (likely to die in 12 months)
- At risk of dying from sudden crisis of condition
- Life threatening conditions caused by sudden catastrophic events
Other examples of when pallative care should be applied that is not malignant disease
- Motor neuron disease
- end-stage cardiac failure
- COPD
- advanced renal disease
What are the main aims of palliative care?
- HOLLISTIC - whole person approach
- focus on QOL and symptom control
- person and family included
What are the principles of good end of life care?
- Open lines of communication
- Anticipating care needs and encouraging discussion
- Effective multidisciplinary team input
- Symptom control – physical and psycho-spiritual
- Preparing for death - patient & family
- Providing support for relatives both before and after death
What is generalist pallative care?
Integral part of the routine care delivered by all health and social care professionals to those living with a progressive and incurable disease, whether at home, in a care home, or in hospital
What is specialist palliative care?
Based on the same principles of palliative care, but can help people with more complex palliative care needs
What are common physical symptoms associated with a requirement for palliative care control?
- Pain
- Dyspnoea
- Nausea / vomiting
- Anorexia / weight loss
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Cough
What can psycho-spiritual distress cause?
exacerbation of physical symptoms with no physiological explanation
What is advance and anticipatory care planning?
‘…an ongoing process of discussion between the patient, those close to them and their care providers,focusing on that person’s wishes and preferences for their future. It is perhaps best defined as an umbrella term potentially covering a number of component planning processes, legal, personal and clinical’
What can be included in advance and anticipatory care planning?
- Wishes / preferences / fears about care
- Feelings/ beliefs / values that may influence future choices
- Who should be involved in decision making?
- Emergency interventions e.g. CPR
- Preferred place of care
- Religious / spiritual / other personal support
- May wish to make an Advance & Anticipatory care plan / formalise wishes regarding care
What are the 3 main ways to formalise wishes?
- advance statement
- advance decision
- power of attorney
What is an advance statement?
A “statement that sets down your preferences, wishes, beliefs and values regarding your future care”
What is an advance decision?
A “decision you can make now to refuse specific treatments in the future”
- Terms used include ‘Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment’ (ADRT) / ‘Advance Directive’, “Advance refusal of treatment”, “Living Will”