The Effect of Palliative Care on Patients

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Question 1 Palliative care approach is to bring the quality of life for incurable disease patients. Palliative care provides services and medical care to relieve physical and psychological pain for patients. In addition, palliative care also provides spiritual support patients at the end of their life and their families (WHO 2002). Palliative care nurses have an important role in improving the quality of life for patients. Palliative care nurses will provide care and support for patients at the end of life and support their families (Kaasalainen et al. 2013). Nurses can apply their skills in providing care for patients thorough assessment, working with allied health care team members and providing continuity of care (Kaasalainen et al. 2013). Nurses are involved in many activities that caring for patients throughout the dying process such as managing mobilities and medications, controlling pain and supporting the families (Kaasalainen et al. 2013). Nurses also help to educate patients’ families about the positive approach to grieving and the benefits of palliative care for the community (Kaasalainen et al. 2013). Question 2 An Advance Care Directive or ‘Living Will’ is a written statement of someone's wishes for their medical treatment choices. An Advance Care Directive can be created immediately by anyone who holds the capability to do. An Advance Care Directive is still observed in the future when the person becomes too unwell to make decisions about health care choices for themselves due to sickness or trauma (Office of the Public Advocate 2014). According to The Medical Treatment Act 1988, a person has right to refuse palliative care treatments and medical intervention. Firstly, an adult person (over 18) has a capacity to ... ... middle of paper ... ...ed away. Supporting from the colleagues is one of the way in helping nurses go through grief (Jonas-Simpson et al. 2013). That’s very helpful if nurses can share their grieving with their colleagues and receive supporting from them. The colleagues can be physicians, workers or even doctors who working in the same field so they can understand and give the most support for nurses in need (Jonas-Simpson et al. 2013). Nurses’ family members also can give support for nurses (Jonas-Simpson et al. 2013). Even though sometimes they can’t understand how nurses really feel, but they are close to the nurses and always there when nurses need. Education is also important for nurses (Jonas-Simpson et al. 2013). Nurses need to learn information about bereavement so nurses can have more knowledge in preparing for the experience of a loss of patients and their families’ grieving

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