Psychological
New Guideline! Psychosocial and bereavement support of family caregivers of palliative care patients, Centre for Palliative Care, Melbourne Australia (PDF 630 KB)
Support for family caregivers is a core function of palliative care. read more...close
Most family caregivers will adequately respond to their role and even identify positive aspects associated with their experience. However, a considerable proportion of family caregivers will experience poor psychological, social, financial, spiritual and physical well-being and some will also suffer from prolonged grief. It is clear that many family caregivers have unmet needs and would like more information, education, preparation and personal support to assist them in the caregiving role. There is also a shortage of evidence-based strategies to guide health professionals to provide optimal support whilst the caregiver is providing care and after the patient's death. [The] research team [at the Centre for Palliative Care] ... has developed Clinical Practice Guidelines for the psychosocial and bereavement support of family caregivers of palliative care patients. The guidelines were developed for multidisciplinary health care professionals and clinical services commonly involved in caring for adult patients receiving palliative care in a variety of care sites throughout Australia. The guidelines may also prove valuable for the international palliative care community and for generalist health care providers who may occasionally care for palliative care patients. Download the guideline from http://www.centreforpallcare.org/assets/uploads/CP-Guidelines_web.pdf (PDF 630 KB)
Fast Facts
- # 007 Depression in Advanced Cancer, 2nd ed
Endicott has proposed substituting somatic criteria with affective criteria when evaluating depression in advanced cancer patients: - # 017 Patient-Centered Interviewing, 2nd ed
Patient-centered Interviewing - You can assess a patient's illness experience by asking about 4 dimensions—Feelings, Ideas, Function and Expectations. The acronym FIFE can be a helpful reminder. - # 021 Hope and Truth Telling, 2nd ed
The difficult balance between maintaining hope and truth telling, especially as it applies to giving bad news. - # 026 The Explanatory Model, 2nd ed
Have you ever had this experience – you are talking with a patient about some care option and you just cannot come to an agreement? - # 029 Responding to Patient Emotion, 2nd ed
Here are eight tasks that guide you in responding to patient emotion: - # 031 Confronting Personal Mortality, 2nd ed
Confronting our own mortality - # 043 Is It Grief of Depression?, 2nd ed
The definitions and clinical features that distinguish these conditions - # 047 What Do I Tell The Children, 2nd ed
A common question asked by dying adults or their family members is What do I tell the children? - # 050 Disaster: Coping with Tragedy, 2nd ed
While specific to a certain time and place, these reflections on living, working, and caring for patients in the immediate aftermath of horrific events are timeless. - # 059 Dealing with Anger, 2nd ed
A guide to managing these situations is presented below. - # 118 Near Death Awareness
Near death awareness (NDA) is a term to describe a dying person's experiences of the dying process. - # 131 The Physician as Family Member
Caring for a dying patient who has a physician-family member provides challenges and opportunities. - # 156 Evaluating Requests for Hastened Death
Guidance on how to evaluate and initially respond to a patient who raises the topic of a hastened death. - # 167 Health Professional Burnout - Part I
This Fast Fact will describe burnout and its risk factors, and review essential research regarding health professionals and burnout. - # 168 Health Professional Burnout - Part II
Symptoms of burnout and its personal and professional consequences. - # 169 Health Professional Burnout - Part III
strategies to avoid burnout while sustaining personal and professional health, integrity, and growth. - # 170 Health Professional Burnout - Part IV
Assessment tools used in health professional research. - # 172 Professional Patient Boundaries in Palliative Care
Issues in health professional-patient boundaries in palliative care. - # 203 Managing One's Emotions as a Clinician
Clinicians' emotional responses to patient care. - # 204 African Americans and End-of Life Care
Differences in end-of-life care and values between African Americans and the population as a whole.
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