The American journal of hospice & palliative care
-
Continuous cardiac inotropes are increasingly utilized for symptom management in advanced heart failure (AHF). Among patients who are not eligible for cardiac transplant or mechanical circulatory support, many are hospice eligible at the time of inotrope initiation. Nevertheless, given relative infrequent use as well as cost issues, acceptability and management of inotropes in the hospice setting are likely widely variable between hospice agencies. ⋯ Cardiac inotropes can align with both the goals of care for the patient with AHF and the philosophy of hospice care. Patients with AHF admitted to hospice care on continuous inotropes may live days to weeks, whether or not inotropes are discontinued.
-
Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Jul 2019
Addressing Educational Needs in Managing Complex Pain in Cancer Populations: Evaluation of APAM: An Online Educational Intervention for Nurses.
Cancer-related pain is associated with significant suffering and is one of the most challenging symptoms to manage. Studies indicate that front-line clinicians often lack the knowledge on best practices in cancer pain management. ⋯ A facilitator-led online educational intervention focusing on complex cancer pain management can significantly improve nurses' knowledge, confidence, and skills. Low baseline knowledge among nurses highlights the pressing need for health-care organizations to implement cancer pain management training as an integral part of health-care QI initiative.
-
Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Jul 2019
Implementing a Palliative Medicine Music Therapy Program: A Quality Improvement Project.
Recent evidence suggests that music therapy, a holistic method of care, potentially is beneficial for symptom management. This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate the effect of music therapy on symptom management and coping skills of patients receiving palliative care and to measure patient satisfaction with the therapy. A secondary aim was to evaluate staff perception of patient outcomes of music therapy services. ⋯ In this quality improvement project, music therapy positively affected multiple domains of well-being for patients receiving palliative care.