The American journal of hospice & palliative care
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The aim of this paper is to review the evidence for a role for opioids as an intervention for exertion induced breathlessness with regard to exercise tolerance and breathlessness intensity. Current knowledge about exogenous opioids in exertion-induced breathlessness due to disease comes from a variety of phase 2 feasibility or pilot designs with differing duration, doses, drugs, exercise regimes, underlying aetiologies, and outcome measures. ⋯ Low dose oral morphine seems well tolerated by most, and is beneficial for breathlessness intensity. Current work to investigate the effect on exercise tolerance is ongoing.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Mar 2016
Hospice and Family Involvement With End-of-Life Care: Results From a Population-Based Survey.
Utilization and perceived benefits of hospice may vary across populations. In a population-based survey, we examined the prevalence of hospice utilization, caregiver sociodemographic characteristics, and quality and complexity of end-of-life (EOL) care, as reported by community caregivers to people who died in the prior year. ⋯ Caregivers of decedents who utilized hospice reported positive quality outcomes and greater involvement in care. Utilization of hospice services was associated with beneficial outcomes at EOL, but with increased involvement of EOL caregivers.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Mar 2016
Nursing Staff's Perception of Barriers in Providing End-of-Life Care to Terminally Ill Pediatric Patients in Southeast Iran.
To determine pediatric nurses' perceptions of intensity, frequency occurrence, and magnitude score of selected barriers in providing pediatric end-of-life (EOL) care. ⋯ More high perceived barriers by nurses were family-related issues. One of the possible causes of such deficiencies was lack of palliative care (PC) education/PC units in Iran. Thus, developing EOL/PC education may enhance nurses' knowledge/skill to face EOL care challenges.