SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Summative Assessment

Abstract

This article discusses the major aspects of palliative care for relieving pain in different conditions. Strating with the introduction of pallative care we will proceed towards different symptoms and the causes of pain. After that we will furher proceed towards the discussion and analysis of data collected from different sources. At the end there are some recommendations in conclusion for the better treatment of the pain by palliative care.

Summative Assessment

Introduction

Palliative care is any form of medical care or treatment that concentrates on reducing the severity of disease symptoms, rather than striving to halt, delay, or reverse progression of the disease itself or provide a cure. The goal is to prevent and relieve suffering and to improve quality of life for people facing serious, complex illness. Non-hospice palliative care is not dependent on prognosis and is offered in conjunction with curative and all other appropriate forms of medical treatment.

The term "palliative care" generally refers to any care that alleviates symptoms, whether or not there is hope of a cure by other means; thus, a recent WHO statement[1] calls palliative care "an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness." Palliative treatments may also be used to alleviate the side effects of curative treatments, such as relieving the nausea associated with chemotherapy. Although the concept of palliative care is not new, most physicians have traditionally concentrated on trying to cure patients. Treatments for the alleviation of symptoms were viewed as hazardous and seen as inviting addiction and other unwanted side effects.( Aranda,1999, 34)

The focus on a patient's quality of life has increased greatly during the past twenty years. In the United States today, 55% of hospitals with more than 100 beds offer a palliative-care program, and nearly one-fifth of community hospitals have palliative-care programs. A relatively recent development is the concept of a dedicated health care team that is entirely geared toward palliative treatment: a palliative-care team.

Palliative care has traditionally been associated with the model of care introduced for cancer patients by hospices within the UK. The aim of palliative care is to relieve symptoms and enable a patient to die with dignity. In 2002, the World Health Organization introduced a new definition of palliative care. This was an important development because the definition recognises that other life- threatening conditions are of equal concern and that palliative care is also applicable early in the course of an illness, and it encompasses the treatment of physical, psychological and spiritual needs of both the patient and his or her family.( Bailes, 1995, 65)

Discussion

Chronic conditions or terminal diseases that cause severe pain can be hard to manage both medically and psychologically. These painful diseases cause a reduced quality of life for the patient and the family members. Pain can interfere with a person's ability to do daily activities and essentially enjoy their lives. Palliative care has shown progress in effectively dealing with these types of ...