Journal of pain and symptom management
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"My One Wild and Precious Life - The Purpose of Medical Care", contains reflections of a medical student as a naive little boy, inspired by his late grandfather, pinning to becoming a physician, who later struggles to find purpose in the unidealistic world of the current healthcare system. But, through his exposure to "Pallium India", a non-profit palliative care organization in Kerala, India, healthcare once more gains meaning and signifies the importance of love and care amidst a patient's journey through pain and suffering.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2024
ReviewThe Impact of Advance Care Planning on Healthcare Professionals' Well-being: A Systematic Review.
Advance care planning (ACP) improves care for patients with chronic illnesses and reduces family stress. However, the impact of ACP interventions on healthcare professionals' well-being remains unknown. ⋯ This review is the first to explore the impact of ACP interventions on healthcare professionals' well-being. ACP interventions appear to have a positive impact, but high-quality studies are scarce. Further research is needed, particularly using more rigorous and systematic methods to implement interventions and report results.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Feb 2024
Case ReportsRoutine Monitoring of QTc Interval as a Barrier for Efficient Use of Methadone in Palliative Care.
Methadone is a commonly prescribed opioid amongst cancer patients. It has unique pharmacological properties which can benefit in treating complex pain syndromes and neuropathic pain. However, strict guidelines have been created in a generalized manner for chronic pain and long-term survival patients. These guidelines, such as QT interval monitoring can lead to limitations for methadone use in patients with comfort-associated goals. We present two cases of patients with metastatic cancer who were treated for pain with methadone and had to undergo opioid rotation due to abnormal QT intervals. ⋯ In the palliative care setting, monitoring QTc per chronic pain guidelines may lead to uncontrolled pain and a significant impact on quality of life.