Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialAdvance Care Planning Does Not Adversely Affect Hope or Anxiety Among Patients With Advanced Cancer.
Many physicians avoid advance care planning (ACP) discussions because they worry such conversations will lead to psychological distress. ⋯ Engaging in ACP with online planning tools increases knowledge without diminishing hope, increasing hopelessness, or inducing anxiety in patients with advanced cancer. Physicians need not avoid ACP out of concern for adversely affecting patients' psychological well-being.
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A major step in end-of-life care was achieved in December 2005 when the Israeli parliament passed the "Dying Patient Law." The law (§31-§36) allows a competent person, even if he/she is healthy, to leave written instructions known as advance medical directives (AD), in which they explain their wishes in detail with respect to future medical treatment should it be determined that they are an incompetent terminally ill patient, as defined by the provisions of that law. ⋯ There is a need to increase awareness in the general population of the option to prepare ADs. Family physicians, oncologists, and geriatricians should be more involved in this process.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Jun 2015
Eliciting Personhood Within Clinical Practice: Effects on Patients, Families, and Health Care Providers.
Failure to acknowledge personhood is often the cause of patient and family dissatisfaction. We developed the Patient Dignity Question (PDQ) as a simple means of inquiring about personhood: "What do I need to know about you as a person to give you the best care possible?" ⋯ The PDQ offers an effective way of eliciting personhood, enhancing patient, family, and HCP experience alike.