I recently went to a conference related to palliative care. I had heard that it was not related to hospice, but in my mind they seem to go together. I work in a very busy ICU setting where we are aggressive with our care. When we hear someone would like to introduce palliative care, we all get nervous and start relating it to hospice and end-of-life care.
Palliative care involves a unique subset of professionals who can help with a patient’s care. Palliative care is an area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients. Unlike hospice care, palliative medicine is appropriate for patients in all disease stages undergoing treatment for curable, chronic conditions as well as for patients who are nearing the end of life. Palliative care includes an array of healthcare providers including physicians, nurses, chaplains, social workers, and psychologists. The multidisciplinary group works together to formulate a plan to relieve suffering in all areas of patients’ lives. Palliative care currently serves more than one million patients and their families each year.
I always suggest that a patient or a caregiver seek out a medical specialist for mesothelioma. The other bit of advice I would offer is that you see if a palliative care group is available through the facility. There are a lot of medical professions that can provide you with valuable information. I also suggest at some point scheduling a family meeting. These meetings are invaluable: they let everyone know what the goals are, where the patient is with the cancer, and where they need to get to. When a family meeting is planned, there are some items that are helpful to know about the meeting:
- The meeting will be facilitated by medical staff, and the amount of time scheduled will be predetermined.
- The meeting is typically held in a room where there is plenty of seating, and sometimes a phone is available for members to phone in if they are not able to be there in person.
- During the meeting it is important to identify what your understanding of the plan of care is and diagnosis, if needed.
- Use the meeting as an opportunity to discuss and clear up any misconceptions.
As the options are discussed and explained the plan of care may be realigned. There will be time for any remaining questions so don’t be afraid to ask. At the conclusion of the meeting, there will be an opportunity to summarize what has been discussed and to plan for the continuation of care.
Family meetings are invaluable and are a great way to strengthen the relationship between family, patient and the medical team.
If you have questions about your mesothelioma treatments or any aspect of your mesothelioma care, feel free to email me at LHyde-Barrett@mesotheliomahelp.net.
More articles by Lisa Hyde-Barrett
Lisa Hyde-Barrett has been a thoracic surgery nurse for nearly 25 years, and has the skill and knowledge to care for and support mesothelioma patients. Through her work, she has helped ease the stress of patients and their families by offering a comforting hand. She is passionate about helping the mesothelioma community.
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