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1Introduction to the End-of-Life Web Tour

This web exploration tackles end-of-life issues. Euthanasia is defined as “good death” and it involves the principles involved in providing “good death to a terminally ill patient”. As part of this web tour we will clarify important terminology related to end of life issues such as DNR, PVS, advanced directive and living wills. We will also define the different types of euthanasia and work to develop an awareness of moral dilemmas involved in assisted deaths.

Download the linked End-of-Life worksheet as a Word doc to complete as you work through the activity.

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9Hospice vs Palliative Care

Hospice Care
 

Dying patients may choose hospice care. A holistic and philosophical approach to end of life care, hospice brings doctors, nurses, social workers and other professionals together as a care team. The hospice team’s goal is to make the patient as comfortable as possible during his or her final days. Hospice emphasizes pain control, symptom management, natural death, and quality of life to comfort the patient’s physical body.

Nearly all definitions of a “good death” respect the principle of autonomy and encourage helping an individual choose and participate in decisions about medical options at the end of life. (Autonomy is an individual’s ability to control situations and circumstances). Part of the philosophy of hospice involves restoring and supporting both the patient and his or her family’s control over the circumstances of death.

The hospice team cares for the dying patient wherever that patient is: at home, in a nursing home, in a hospital, or in a separate hospice facility. In addition to medical care, the hospice team may provide emotional and spiritual support, social services, nutrition counseling, and grief counseling for both the patient and loved ones.

Palliative Care

Palliative care works to achieve one of the primary goals of healthcare—relief of symptoms. Palliative care is an option for patients who are seriously or terminally ill. It focuses on achieving the best possible quality of life for a patient by emphasizing total and comprehensive care for all a patient’s needs: pain and symptom management, spiritual, social, psychological, and emotional well being.

Palliative care is similar to that of hospice care. However, palliative care is not restricted to patients near the end of life and can be used in both acute and long term care settings. One similarity between hospice and palliative care is the use of an interdisciplinary team of professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, chaplains, and others to provide comprehensive care.