Palliative care

Palliative care

  • Deals with dying
  • Aspects dealt with: social, psychological, medical

Principles

  1. Die with dignity
    • Patient should be moved to a quiet side room
    • Family may wish to be present
    • Religious wishes respected
  2. Die without suffering
    • Investigations / blood tests should be cancelled
    • Potentially degrading objects (such as nasogastric tubes) should be removed
  3. Die with control of symptoms
    • Anti-emetics
    • Reduced secretions: hyoscine
    • Treat constipation