International journal of palliative nursing
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Although the use of subcutaneous infusion is common in palliative care, problems can occur. Normally, butterfly needles are used; however, there are occasional issues with patients being able to walk around or with restless patients who suffer from delirium. In these cases, needles often dislocate; therefore, a small observational study was undertaken to evaluate the use of the Cleo 90 infusion set. ⋯ Reddening and induration of the skin occurred, but they were reversible after removing the needle. As this was a small study in only one unit, without standardization the results can only be observational. However, it has shown, for the first time, that the Cleo 90 needle can be safe and comfortable.
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Self-awareness of one's own reactions towards patients and their relatives is of paramount importance for all professionals in palliative care. 'Core attitude' describes the way in which a person perceives himself and the world, and forms the basis for his actions and thoughts. ⋯ In the field of palliative care, core attitude consists predominately of authenticity, manifests itself in relationships, and requires a high degree of perceptiveness.
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Transdermal fentanyl patches first became available in the early 1990s and provided an innovative treatment for the management of cancer pain. Since then, they have become a familiar and convenient method for providing analgesia for patients with stable levels of cancer pain. Transdermal delivery is more complex than oral administration and some specific factors need to be taken into consideration for the patches to be used appropriately and to their best advantage. This article will review the use of transdermal fentanyl, looking at their place in the overall therapy plan, the use of appropriate adjunctive prescribing and some specific practical and safety issues.
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Comparative Study
Quality-of-life assessment in a palliative care setting in Germany: an outcome evaluation.
Quality-of-life (QoL) assessment is crucial for the evaluation of a palliative care outcome. This article investigates the applicability of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) on a German sample of terminally ill cancer patients receiving palliative care in different settings. Patients were randomly selected in 10 palliative homecare services and one palliative care unit in a general hospital and 'evaluated' among the consecutively 'registered' patients. ⋯ The questionnaire was well accepted in the present patient population. In addition, the questionnaire was found to be useful in detecting the effectiveness of palliative treatment over a period of time. This study shows that QoL measures can be used to assess the outcome in palliative care.