Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2005
Pain intensity assessment by bedside nurses and palliative care consultants: a retrospective study.
To evaluate the specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy of pain intensity assessments (0-10) conducted by registered nurses (RN) and clinical nurse assistants (CAN) as compared to those conducted by the palliative care consultant (PCC). ⋯ Lack of agreement between pain intensity assessments performed by the PCC and bedside nurse suggests possible inconsistencies in the way the assessments were performed. Better education on how to perform standard pain intensity assessment is needed.
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Support Care Cancer · Apr 2005
Comparative StudyWhat are cancer patients' preferences about treatment at the end of life, and who should start talking about it? A comparison with healthy people and medical staff.
In order to strengthen cancer patients' autonomy and to improve quality of palliative care, it is necessary to know what are the patients' preferences for treatment at the end of life, whether they accept the idea of advance directives, and who should initiate the process of fulfilling such a document. ⋯ Cancer patients' preferences for treatment at the end of life significantly differ compared to other groups. Oncologists should initiate a discussion about an advance directive when/if the course of the illness seems to make this appropriate, which corresponds to the wish of the majority of cancer patients, healthy controls, and medical staff.