Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2024
Case ReportsPalliative Care Consults for Clinician Distress: Part of the Job?
Clinician distress is common in serious illness care. Palliative specialists are often consulted for cases involving significant distress among primary teams. ⋯ This article uses three composite cases to illustrate types of clinician distress and examine the benefits and risks of palliative specialist involvement. We conclude with a discussion of potential impacts of palliative care consults for clinician distress on the field of palliative care and consider next steps in critically important efforts to support and sustain the entire workforce-both palliative specialists and nonspecialists alike-when caring for patients with serious illness and their family caregivers.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2024
Utilization of Palliative Radiation in Pediatric Oncology Patients During the End-of-life (EOL).
Suffering at the end-of-life (EOL) can impact the perception of a "good death" and ultimately affect bereavement for families of children with cancer. Palliative radiation (pXRT) is a tool that can address pain, mitigate suffering and improve quality of life. ⋯ There is underutilization and significant variability in the use of pXRT during EOL in pediatric oncology. Barriers to this tool may include physician perceptions, family/patient preferences, and logistical hardships. Guidelines to standardize pXRT, alongside earlier PPC integration, may guide clinician decision making and increase pXRT utilization.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2024
Perceptions Towards Naloxone among Patients with Cancer Receiving Opioids.
Naloxone nasal spray is recommended for patients with risk factors for opioid overdose. However, cancer patients' perceptions and beliefs regarding naloxone prescriptions and their self-perceived risks for overdose are understudied. ⋯ Most patients understood the benefits of naloxone and felt safe having one at home. More research is needed to identify knowledge gaps and develop educational strategies for those who find it nonbeneficial.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Dec 2024
Death anxiety in patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers.
Death anxiety is associated with fears of suffering and uncertainty at the end of life. It is also relevant to patients' family caregivers, who can experience fears about the patients' death and dying. ⋯ The results indicate that death anxiety is a common, clinically significant problem in patients with advanced cancer and their family caregivers, emphasizing the need for targeted psychological support.