Question

END-OF-LIFE ISSUES You are the home health nurse who has been seeing Phyllis Court, who has lung cancer for approximately one year. Her provider recently told her that her cand longer treatable; the focus of treatment will change from curative measures to sympo She is confused and somewhat angry with her provider. She vaguely remembers the to "palliative care" when discussing her situation with the provider but does not know means. who has a diagnosis of that her cancer was no o symptom relief. dely remembers the term s not know what this 1. State what you think the patient may be experiencing considering her diagnosis and that no more curative measures would be taken for her. 2. How would you describe palliative treatment? ng her diagnosis and the fact Ms. Court confides that she always felt she might survive her illness, but has never formally written down her wishes concerning what types of treatment she would or would want to have. You advise her to complete an advance directive or living will. 3. What is the purpose of these two documents? 4. State why you think it is best to have the patient complete these documents when they have the opportunity to participate in their care. 5. What health care decisions are considered in these documents? 6. How are advanced directives and living wills formulized? Ms. Court states she is confused and has mixed feelings about her health care wishes right now. She asks, "If I fill out this form, can I change my mind down the road?" 7. Explain how you are going to answer this question. You inform Ms. Court that you will help with the symptomatic control of her illness. 8. List four (4) types of things that you will focus on.

Answer 1

1. The patient has a lack of knowledge of her own disease condition and its prognosis. She believed that the treatment process will cure her illness completely. That why she becomes anxious when he heard about the word "no curative measures". She has to be educated about the cancer diagnosis, its treatment, prognosis, and outcome. So that she can able to better understand her state of illness and thereby she can decide about the further treatment process.

2. Palliative care is supportive care that helps to manage and live with cancer by alleviating the symptoms. The main goal of palliative care is to improve your quality of life by improving the physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. It makes you be comfortable by managing the symptoms and other related illness.

3. Advanced directives and Living will are written, the legal document that consists of your preferences in medical care. Advanced directives are used during the life-threatening situation when you are in the state of unable to make a decision. For example, whether you want to be in the hospitalized or wish to stay at home at the end of life. A living will is the choice of medical care that one would allow or not allow at the end of life care. For example choice of making a decision to use or not use of CPR, mechanical ventilation at the critical situation.

4. Advanced directives and Living will are very important for the patient with a life-threatening disease. Because they may face an emergency situation at any time. These documents help to decide about the care of treatment even though the patient is unable to make the decision of her own. Without these documents, the health care provider will face ethical challenges during critical care.