Question

Read the following case study and answer the questions below. Provide evidence with correct citations to support your answers.

You are a home health nurse seeing for the first time P.C., a 64 year old divorcee diagnosed with small cell lung cancer approximately 1 year ago. She was treated with radiation and chemotherapy; however, her oncologist recently informed her that her cancer is no longer treatable because it has spread to her bones and liver. Now the focus of her treatment will change from curative to symptom relief. She is confused and somewhat bewildered. She vaguely remembers the term palliative treatment from the discussion of her situation with her oncologist but does not know what it means.

1. How would you describe palliative treatment?

2. Describe the assessment you need to perform at this time.

3. Palliative care is delivered by an interprofessional team.

What role will each of the following professionals play in P.C.’s care?

A. Nurse

B. Primary Care Provider

C. Social Worker

D. Spiritual Care

Answer 1

1. Palliative treatment.

             * It is a supportive medical care provided for patient who are terminally ill or with

               chronic diseases.

2. Palliative assessment.

           * Assessment focus on identify the current needs of the patient.

           * It include,

                       * Assessment of pain level of the patient.

                                * Use pain scale to assess the severity of pain.

                                * Assess the pain sites of the patient.

                                * Assess the type of pain felt by the patient.

                                * Ask about the duration of pain.

                      * Assessment of psycholocal status of the patient.

                              * Assess the mental status of patient by mental health examination.

                              * Assess the level of interaction between patient and relatives.

                     * Assess the activity level of patient.

                             * Assess the ability to perform daily activities like,

                                                         * Grooming.

                                                         * Bathing.

                                                         * Feeding.

                                                         * Dressing.

                                                         * Bowel and bladder elimination.

                                                         * Body movement.(walking,sitting,standing etc.).

3. Palliative care performed by interprofessional team.

                     * Health care professional have a major role to provide symptomatic management

                       and comfort to patient with terminal illness.

          A) Nurse

                     * Home nursing staffs should assist the daily activities of the patient.

                     * Provide symptamatic management.

                     * Administration of analgesics for pain control as per physician order.

                     * Provide psychological support to reduce stress level of the patient.

          B) Primary care provider.

                     * Provide counselling sessions to reduce anxiety level of patient.

                     * Identify current medical problems and provide trreatment.

                     * Education given to family members regarding palliative care.

          C) Social worker.

                    * Facilitate patient transition to hospice.

                    * Train stress management techniques to patient and family members.

                    * Make the patient cope up with emotional distress.

            D) Spiritual care.

                   * Respect spiritual beliefs of patient and allow them to do it for reduce stress

                      level.

                   * Provide a peaceful environment to do spiritual practices in the home or other

                     palliative care setting.