Articles: palliative-care.
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Comparative Study
Differences in Healthcare and Palliative Care Utilization at the End of Life: a Comparison Study Between Lung Cancer, COPD, and IPF.
Patients with lung cancer, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and COPD have high symptom burden, poor quality of life, and high health care use at the end of life. Although proactive integration of palliative care in lung cancer can improve outcomes, it is unclear whether similar practices have been adopted in COPD and IPF care. ⋯ This study showed that patients with COPD and IPF are less likely to receive outpatient palliative care and opioid prescriptions and are more likely to use end-of-life intensive care than patients with lung cancer. Further research should explore health system barriers contributing to differences in care patterns to optimize quality of life and to align with patient goals of care.
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Comparative Study
[Concept-dependent and -independent care effects of site-specific care concepts using "pain" as an example].
Structures of palliative care, cross-sectoral transitions and care pathways of patients with palliative care needs were investigated at two sites. The systematic comparison of similarities and differences using the topic of 'pain' as an example is intended to provide information on the extent to which these are related to site-specific palliative care concepts (integrated and cooperative). ⋯ Commonalities and differences with regard to the topic of pain, as focused on here, and its organisational management become tangible as effects of the respective organisational structure (= concept-dependent) as well as concept-independent external influencing factors.
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2024
ReviewFostering nurse-patient relationships in palliative care: An integrative review with narrative synthesis.
Nurse-patient relationships are an integral component of person-centred palliative care. Greater understanding of how nurse-patient relationships are fostered and perceived by patients and nurses can be used to inform nursing practice. ⋯ Nurses and patients are invested in the nurse-patient relationship, benefitting when it is positive, therapeutic and both parties are valued partners in the care. Key elements of fostering the nurse-patient relationship in palliative care were revealed, however, the dominance of the nurses' perspectives signifies that the nature and impact of these relationships may not be well understood.
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Palliative medicine · Dec 2024
ReviewPractice review: Pharmacological management of severe chronic breathlessness in adults with advanced life-limiting diseases.
Severe and refractory chronic breathlessness is a common and burdensome symptom in patients with advanced life-limiting disease. Its clinical management is challenging because of the lack of effective interventions. ⋯ Management of breathlessness remains challenging with only few pharmacological options with limited and partially conflicting evidence. Therefore, pharmacological treatment should be reserved for patients with advanced disease under monitoring of side effects, after optimisation of the underlying condition and use of evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions as first-line treatment.