The American journal of hospice & palliative care
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Nine adults who worked at least 1 year with patients at US hospice centers completed an in-person audiotaped dream session focusing on a dream about a patient. Data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research. Patients were generally manifestly present in participants' dreams, and dreams were typically realistic (i.e., not bizarre). ⋯ Dreams gave dreamers insight into the stress of hospice work, their own fears of death, and inter-/intrapersonal interactions beyond hospice work. Dreamers generally sought to take better care of themselves and find balance in their lives after the dream session. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Jun 2014
Trends in length of hospice care from 1996 to 2007 and the factors associated with length of hospice care in 2007: findings from the National Home and Hospice Care Surveys.
Using the National Home and Hospice Care Surveys, we examined trends in length of hospice care from 1996 to 2007 and the factors associated with length of care in 2007. Results suggest that the increasing average lengths of care over time reflect the increase in the longest duration of care. For-profit ownership is associated with hospice care received for over a year.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · May 2014
Training mid-level providers on palliative care: bringing advanced directives and symptom assessment and management to community oncology practices.
Palliative care services are not available in most outpatient oncology practices. A program training 11 mid-level providers from oncology practices on advanced directive discussions and supportive symptom assessment and management performed by palliative care specialists was completed. ⋯ Main barriers included uncertainties about reimbursement, patients' lack of knowledge about palliative care, and lack of access to supportive services. This program successfully promoted advanced directive discussions and supportive/palliative care symptom assessment and management to community oncology practices, which will hopefully translate into improved quality of life for patients with metastatic cancer.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · May 2014
Clinical TrialUse of methylphenidate for the management of fatigue in Chinese patients with cancer.
REASON FOR THE STUDY: Studies on methylphenidate for cancer-related fatigue showed conflicting results. This prospective study aims to determine whether methylphenidate is useful for relieving fatigue in Chinese patients with cancer. Chinese Version of Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI-C) was administered on days 1, 8, and 29. Methylphenidate dose on day 1 was 5 mg daily then adjusted after day 8 according to response and side effects tolerance. ⋯ Methylphenidate may be useful for management of cancer-related fatigue in selected Chinese patients.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · May 2014
The role of analgesic adjustment strategies in achieving analgesic efficacy in opioid-tolerant hospice patients in China.
Diverse strategies of analgesic adjustment are often, respectively, used to sustain analgesic efficiency for opioid-tolerant patients with different refractory factors of pain. In order to select effective analgesic adjustment strategy for hospice patient without knowing explicit causes of diminishing analgesic efficiency, a retrospective data of 743 patients among 3760 hospice patients were analyzed. ⋯ For opioid-tolerant hospice patients, the analgesic adjustment strategy can be selected for individual patient. After repeated analgesic adjustments, opioid tapering may also occur.