PALLIATIVE EXAMS PAPER

Palliative Exams Paper

Palliative Exams Paper

Explore which initiatives and policies in relation to palliative care services would be pertinent to organising end of life care for Susan.

People want to feel as if their lives matter. Additionally, people who are seriously or terminally ill want their beloved to be known as an individual person. This is where the humanistic approach to medicine becomes very important. Taking the time to get to know each patient and his or her unique interests is crucial to the provision of excellent palliative care. One of the concepts identified by families as an outstanding practice in palliative and end-of-life care is non-abandonment. The ability to be present, to sit and listen and to pay attention to what makes each person unique, is central to individualized care. Every one has their own likings and disliking; within each of these categories is a lot of diversity. By taking the time to get to know seriously or terminally ill people as individuals, one can tailor interventions specifically to match their needs. Individualized care delivered at end of life has been shown to decrease distress in bereaved family members after the death of their loved ones. Individualized care also promotes dignity by affirming the unique characteristics of the individual who is seriously or terminally ill. Individualized care not only acknowledges the individual but also acknowledges the unique culture of the family unit. Family beliefs and cultural practices can be incorporated into the delivery of palliative care. Individualized palliative care is built on respect for the diversity of each individual within his or her family unit (Theunissen and Ende, 2007).

Susan's palliative care need from a patient centred approach

Pediatric palliative care is a philosophy of patient care that focuses on reducing suffering while helping patient with complex medical conditions to live full and meaningful lives. Family-centered care is particularly important when helping a patient and family adapt to a serious or life-threatening illness. Palliative care respects the individuality of each family's culture while supporting the physical, psychological, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of the seriously ill patient. This entry discusses the history of palliative care in Western medicine, ethical issues in pediatric life-threatening illness, the components of pediatric palliative care, the desired individual and family health outcomes, recommendations for interventions and programs to promote individual and family well-being, and relevance of palliative care to broader issues of family health. However, from ...