Fundamentals of Nursing
A nurse calls together an interdisciplinary team with members from medicine, social service, the clergy, and…
A nurse calls together an interdisciplinary team with members from medicine, social service, the clergy, and nutritional services to care for a patient with a terminal illness. Which of the following types of care would the team most likely be providing?
Explanation
Core Concept: Palliative care is an interdisciplinary approach aimed at optimizing the quality of life and mitigating suffering for patients with terminal, life-limiting, or serious illnesses.
Clinical Presentation: Advanced disease symptoms, intractable pain, dyspnea, psychosocial distress, and spiritual suffering.
Diagnosis: Based on the clinical prognosis and shifting goals of care (focusing on comfort and symptom management rather than curative intent).
Management: Acute: Aggressive symptom management (e.g., opioids for pain/dyspnea, antiemetics). Long-term/Definitive: Comprehensive holistic care involving medicine, social services, clergy, and nutrition to address the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of both the patient and their family, often overlapping with hospice care at the end of life.