Palliative Care CHCPA301B

1. Palliative CareCHCPA301B

2. INTRODUCTION: Learning Outcomes: Understand a Palliative Approach and support the incorporation and ongoing management of ACD’s within the care plan. Be able to support clients to identify their preferences for quality of life choices. Be able to take action to assess and alleviate pain and other end of life symptoms. Identify and manage own responses in self and others.

3. ASSESSMENTS There are 3 parts to this assessment.. Students must pass each part. PART A: Open book take home quiz. PART B: Case Study. Mr W. Part 3: Role play, day 2 in class. The assessments are due in 2 weeks.

4. What is palliative care. What does it mean to you?

5. What is Palliative Care? • A Palliative Care approach aims to improve the quality of life for a person who is dying and their family, whether as a result of disease, illness or the ageing process. • The word ‘palliate’ means to relieve; palliative care therefore is care that relieves the physical and mental distress of dying.

6. What is palliative care? continued • Palliative care is a multi-disciplinary approach that involves medical, psychological and spiritual responses to the dying person, their family and friends. • People are usually encouraged to live as actively as possible until death • Palliative care affirms life and regards death as a normal part of life.

7. Definition: World Health Organization 2002 Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of care of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.

8. Dying in Australia 134,000 deaths in Australia each year 64,000 are considered to be ‘expected deaths’ – when death is related to a diagnosed life limiting illness 1/3 of patients whose death is expected are seen by palliative care services with the balance by primary care services Responsibility to all Australians

10. WHERE can a palliative approach be provided? A palliative approach can be used in any setting. A palliative approach can be provided in the resident’s familiar surroundings if adequate skilled care is available, which reduces the need for transfer to an acute setting; thereby, avoiding potential distress to the resident and his/her family. The reality of the above should be discussed early in the care planning.

11. WHO can provide the care?? A palliative approach is best provided by a multidisciplinary team. They may include: # Specialist Physicians and GP’s # General nurses # Specialist nurses # Volunteers # Pharmacists # OT’s # Physiotherapist # Social workers # Dieticians # Carers #Diversional Therapist #Chaplains # Pain specialist

12. WHO DECIDES?? The decision to implement a palliative approach should not be based on the individual’s clinical stage or diagnosis; rather, it should be offered according to the needs of the individual. The decision to consider a palliative approach should be made in collaboration with the resident, the family and the team. Lack of openness with residents and their families may lead to conflict and confusion about care goals.

13. ADVANCED CARE PLANNING Advanced care planning empowers the person to state their wishes in writing, in accordance with how they define quality of life. By doing so, the burden of responsibility is removed from the surrogate and control is maintained by the resident. As with preparing of a will, the plan cannot be attended too early. When the time comes and the resident is no longer able to validate decisions it will be of great comfort to loved ones knowing the decisions they are maintaining were those chosen.

14. An ACD can be an individual process, and does not have to involve family members. However, evidence suggests that many people prefer them to be involved. The process of advanced care planning may provide opportunity for discussing dying wishes, settling interpersonal differences, may prevent later conflict over substitute decisions about treatment, and improve communication amongst the family members. Advanced care planning is a continuum of treatment choices that may be reviewed as the persons condition, and possibly preferences change.

15. End of life strategies: Goals of treatment may need to be re-negotiated several times. Good open communication, regular team meetings, continuity of care (nursing and medical), a culture which values challenging and constructive debate – all these contribute to improving team functioning which is an essential factor in managing the complex interface between acute and palliative care. Sensitive and careful management of the transitional phases in disease is integral to successful palliation

16. For patients and their families quality of life will be maximised where the goals of palliative care are valued, and expert symptom management is practised. An understanding of the psychosocial stressors involved in experiencing chronic illness will assist in good communication, both within the health care team and the patient/family. Respect for the ability of the patient and family to participate in their own care is fundamental to the practise of palliation

17. Legal Issues in palliative care Nurses working in palliative care need to practise within the legal controls of the jurisdiction in which they practise and adhere to the procedural guidelines. Pain management is a fundamental part of palliative care and one that has civil and criminal implications. The importance of accurate documentation cannot be overstated. An advanced care directive that complies with the requirements is legally binding in NSW. Failure to comply with ACD may result in the health professional incurring criminal or civil liability.

18. Patients Rights The right to choose or refuse: While a patients consent cannot justify that which the law forbids, for example the direct taking of life, it can justify that which the law allows, for example, the termination and refusal of medical treatment. A person is completely at liberty to undergo treatment, even if the result of doing so will be that he dies ( Kennedy and Grubb, 1994: 163, 1270. )

19. Before life-sustaining treatment is discontinued the patient must be: competent free from coercion or controlling influence fully aware of the implications of the proposed course of action. Legislation allows a person to appoint someone to make decisions about medical treatment on their behalf if they become incapable of making decisions for themselves. Such an appointment is made under the ‘enduring power of attorney (medical treatment)’, also referred to as a ‘living will’

20. Cultural Issues: Culture is a way of life that is shaped by values, beliefs and practises that are learnt from experience of being in the world and from experiences transmitted through generations. All residents require careful assessment to ensure assumptions are not made for cultural needs based on a resident’s language ability alone. To provide cultural appropriate palliative care requires first that a persons culture is understood and, secondly, that health care staff respect that culture. Australia is a multi cultural country. It is also possible that the family unit comes from more than one culture. This may require unique handling.

21. Approximately 120 residential services provide care operated by ethnic community organisations, with additional community resources specifically allocated for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those from a diverse range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds. A specific program known as Partners in cultural Appropriate care operates throughout Australia. Contacts:

22. Multicultural Health Communication service Website: www.mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au Transcultural Aged Care Services (NSW) (02) 85855025 Ethnic Communities Council of QLD (07) 38461099 Multicultural Aged Care (SA) (08) 82324410 Migrant Resource (TAS) (03) 62349411 Anglican Aged Care (VIC) (03) 93982354 Multicultural Aged Care (WA) (08) 93468240

23. Spiritual Care: Spiritual care involves assisting people to articulate those things that are important to them personally. Spiritual care involves sensitive listening, rather than providing answers. It is not necessary for the nurse to share the same spiritual beliefs as the person in order to understand the persons spiritual needs, nor is it the aim of spiritual care to impose your own views onto that person. It is important that every effort is made by staff to enable the person to have access to spiritual supports and spiritually related items.

24. COMMUNICATION Redpath (1998) suggests that communication skills of the health professional are central to successful patient decision making, and negotiation of optimum palliative care outcomes. It is also said that nurses are the most frequent observers of patients’ psychological and emotional responses to illness and treatment (Fincannon,1995). Therefore it is important to acknowledge the valuable role communication and negotiating skills can play in palliative care.

25. Cultural context of communication When learning English as a new language, people go through 5 stages. Hearing what is said in english. Translating it into their own language. Constructing the response in english. Responding in English. When broken down in this way, the room for error is obvious. Clear communication is an essential component of palliative care so language barriers need strategies put in place to overcome them.

26. Dealing with conflict & resolution CONFLICT results from individuals or groups wanting different things. Differences can include: Differences in values, Different interpretation of the facts, Different ideas. NEGOTIATION is a process of collaboration. It employs the skill of: Listening, questioning, Speaking and Body language.

27. Body language in communication Nonverbal communication, known as “body language” sends strong positive and negative signals. This is how much it influences any message: Words 8% Tone of voice 34% Non verbal cues 58% Body language speaks for itself and can be of enormous comfort to the patient and carers …… it can also create the opposite.

28. The power of listening Sometimes in palliative care it is more important to listen than to speak. Sometimes patients and carers alike want to discuss their fears but don’t want to burden their loved ones and they will turn to you. The philosopher Epictetus stressed the power of listening in this quote: “Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak”

29. NUTRITION AND HYDRATION: Consenting to or refusing food is an expression of a persons autonomy. One of the most difficult ethical issues that families and health care workers confront is uncertainty about how to manage residents who refuse food and / or fluids. ‘There is little evidence that tube feeding substantially prolongs life, and it carries additional risks that usually will only add an additional burden of discomfort for dying patients’ ( Finucane,Christmas & Travis, 1999 )

30. Factors affecting poor nutrition Advanced dementia Apathy / loss of interest Fatigue / increased generalised weakness Depression Adverse medication side effects Shortness of breath Nausea Anorexia assoc with deteriorating condition

31. Potential reversible causes Metabolic disorders such as thyroidism Chronic infections Alcoholism (nutritional malabsorption) Oral health factors Depression Vitamin deficiencies Nausea and vomiting Cultural food issues Adverse medication side-effects

32. Dehydration Dehydration in the end-of-life stage has not been found to produce distressing symptoms or shorten lifespan and may in fact be beneficial. Benefits include: The production of a natural analgesia-endorphins and dynorphins Ketoacidosis takes away the feeling of hunger and results in further analgesia Decrease in urinary output and diminished respiratory secretions

33. Nutrition at End-of-life The desire to feed stems from the belief that dehydration in a person close to death is distressing Artificial feeding will not necessarily increase comfort or quality of life during end stage Dehydration should not be confused with thirst Thirst is best treated by small amounts of fluid and ice chips offered frequently and good mouth care The wishes of the resident and their family are paramount Resident’s best interest and preferences should guide decision making

34. Artificial Hydration Artificial hydration should be considered in the palliative approach when dehydration results from potentially correctable causes; Over treatment of diuretics and sedation Recurrent vomiting Diarrhoea hypocalcaemia

35. Adverse effects of fluid accumulation caused by artificial hydration at end-of-life: Increased urinary output Increased fluid in GI tract – vomiting Pulmonary oedema, pneumonia Increase in respiratory tract secretions Ascites All of the above potentially causing more discomfort for the palliative patient.

36. Nausea and vomiting Nausea is sometimes prolonged and can be less easily controlled than vomiting. Nausea can occur without vomiting ( the reverse is also true ) It is important to try to identify the cause of nausea or vomiting in order to manage the symptoms.

37. Causes of nausea and vomiting Latrogenic - medications, chemotherapy, radiotherapy Metabolic – hypercalcaemia, UTI, altered taste Organic – constipation, bowel obstruction Psychological – anxiety, anticipatory Other – odour from food or wounds Cause is often unknown at end-of-life

38. Non – pharmacological therapy Correct reversible causes Environmental factors – fresh air, absence of offensive smells Offer non-odourous foods, eat slowly & small amounts frequently Avoid lying flat before and after meals Diversional therapies – relaxation Maintain good mouth care

39. Pharmacological management General guidelines include: Determine the most likely cause Identify contributing factors Select an appropriate anti-emetic Select appropriate route for drug administration Consider possible toxicity Possible benefit versus potential burden Ensure patient compliance Evaluate regularly Give prophylactically

40. Bowel care in palliation Bowel symptoms such as constipation or faecal incontinence can have a negative effect on a resident’s quality of life. Bowel care is a key component of a palliative approach as residents may be taking opioids, which are a major cause of constipation. Constipation may occur with: Limitation to fluid intake in faecal waste Limitation to movement of faeces through colon Limitation to muscle contraction

41. Bowel management Initial assessment to identify normal bowel habits Daily documentation of bowel habits Prophylaxis – essential part of management Early identification of abnormal bowel habits Identify cause – diet or drug induced Prompt and individually tailored treatments Minimization of interventions that can cause loss of dignity Comfort for the resident

42. Types of Constipation PRIMARY: Inadequate dietary fibre / dehydration Reduced mobility / reduced muscle tone Withholding faecal evacuation SECONDARY: Partial bowel obstruction Spinal cord compression conditions such as hypercalcaemia LATROGENIC: Introduced by administration of drug therapies

43. Symptoms of constipation Nausea and vomiting Straining during defecation Infrequent bowel movements Feelings of incomplete emptying after bowel movements Frequent small amounts of diarrhoea Rectal pain on defecation Stomach pain, distension or discomfort Faecal incontinence

44. Pain management To cure sometimes To relieve often To comfort always

45. Defining Pain: ACUTE PAIN: Is usually due to a definable acute injury or illness. It has a definite onset and it’s duration is limited and predictable. It is accompanied by anxiety and clinical signs of sympathetic overactivity: tachycardia, tachypnoea, hypertension, sweating, pupillary dilatation and pallor. Acute pain may also occur in a patient with chronic pain. INCIDENT PAIN: Occurs only in certain circumstances eg: movement / procedures

46. CHRONIC PAIN: Results from a chronic pathological process. It has a gradual or ill-defined onset, continues unabated and may become progressively more severe. The patient appears depressed and withdrawn and, as there are no signs of sympathetic overactivity, they are frequently labelled as “not looking like someone in pain’. Patients with chronic pain may exhibit depression, lethargy, apathy, anorexia and insomnia. Chronic pain requires REGULAR use of analgesics to control pain with breakthrough analgesia for additional acute episodes.

47. As noted by Lord Devlin in R v Adams (Bodkin) (1957) even though direct killing is unlawful: ….. There is still much for a doctor to do that he is entitled to do all that is proper and necessary to relieve pain and suffering, even if the measures he takes may incidentally shorten life. Criminal law requires intent. The intent to relieve pain is different from the intent to kill, which does and should lead to criminal charges.

48. Pain management requires a systemic and holistic approach to treatment that is tailored to the individual’s physical, psychological and spiritual needs. As Dickinson stated, “ Pain is a subjective sensation and therefore pain is what the individual says it is and NOT what others think it should be”. Recognition of an emotional and psychological component to pain points to the need for a multidimensional assessment for effective pain management.

49. Principle of pain management Regular around the clock Oral medication if possible Adjuvants for side effects