Palliative Care - An Integrated Part of Cancer Care

Chapter 12: Palliative Care - An Integrated Part of Cancer Care

Overview:

• Introduces background information and defines ‘palliative care’
• Discusses the change of attitude necessary to remove the negative connotations associated with palliative care
• Examines the barriers to providing good palliative care in nursing
• Provides guidance through an array of questions nurses can ask themselves through breaking barriers to providing good palliative care
• Assesses ‘good nursing’ and ‘bad nursing’ in terms of caring for a patient in a hospice
• Guides nurses in how to make the most of their limited time to spend with their patients
• Case studies are provided - including a detailed study to the approach to integrated care

Description:

In this chapter a model of care has been demonstrated that recognises palliative care as a positive step in the management of patients with advanced cancer. By combining the knowledge and skills of all specialities, challenging nurses’ attitudes and beliefs about the care they deliver and recognising the need to change many of the traditions, rituals, mores and policies and procedures that have developed within nursing cultures over the decades, nurses can help patients to look forward to a greater quality of life.

Topics:

• When death is inevitable
  • Changing the focus
  • Changing routine management
• Ritual as practice
• Challenging routine nursing practice
• Assessment
  • What is good nursing and what is bad nursing?
• Nursing and the time factor
• Public perceptions
  • A case study approach to integrated care
• References

Speakers / Authors:

Karen Glaetzer
Registered Nurse, Oncology Certificate, Bachelor of Nursing, Clinical Nurse Consultant Palliative Care Outreach, Repatriation General Hospital/Southern Community Hospice Program, Adelaide, South Australia.

Karen Glaetzer completed her general training at the Repatriation General Hospital, Daw Park, in Adelaide, in 1982. In 1984 she undertook the Post Basic Oncological Nursing Course at Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne. In 1988, on returning to South Australia, Karen assisted in establishing Daw House Hospice. In 1989 she pioneered the Palliative Care Liaison role with the Repatriation General Hospital. While working in this position Karen has been involved in the development and coordination of the Intensive Course in Palliative Care Nursing offered by The Flinders University of South Australia/International Institute of Hospice Studies. She also provides a consultancy service to the Ashford Cancer Centre. In 1997 she was involved in palliative care courses in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and New Zealand.

Alison Mcleod
Registered Comprehensive Nurse, Oncology Certificate, Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management), Member of the Royal College of Nursing, Australia, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Daw House Hospice, Adelaide, South Australia.

Alison McLeod completed her Registered Comprehensive Nursing Education at Auckland Technical Institute, New Zealand, in 1980. She undertook the Post Basic Oncological Nursing Certificate at Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute, Melbourne, in 1985. After moving to Adelaide, Alison was Clinical Nurse Consultant at the Philip Kennedy Centre Hospice before accepting a position at Daw House Hospice. As the Inpatient Clinical Nurse Consultant Alison has been involved in the development and coordination of the Intensive Course in Palliative Care Nursing offered by The Flinders University of South Australia/International Institute of Hospice Studies. Alison has travelled to Hong Kong, China, Fiji and New Zealand to provide palliative care courses to multidisciplinary teams.

Professional Reviews: