Page 17 - UNC MC Assistive Personnel Orientation Manual 2020

Palliative & End of Life Care

What is Palliative Care?
- Palliative care is NOT hospice
- Provides support for patients and families with serious illness – from diagnosis to end of
life
- Provides relief from physical symptoms and emotional distress
- Assists with goals of care and decisions with focus on patient’s/family’s values &
preferences
- Interdisciplinary team of nurses, physicians, social workers, psychologists, chaplains and/or
pharmacists.

What is Hospice?
- Hospice is 100% Palliative Care
- A specific type of palliative care for people who likely have 6 months or less to live.
- Support for patients & families at end of life (less than 6 months of life)
- Types of Patients: Cancer, CHF, Congenital Anomalies, COPD, Dementia, Kidney & Liver
Disease, Trauma
- Cannot be combined with curative treatment – exception is pediatric hospice!
- Services: Symptom management, psychosocial support, bereavement support x 13
months.
- Interdisciplinary team of nurses, physicians, social workers, chaplains and/or
pharmacists.

Home Hospice:
- Intermittent RN visits (1+ visits/week) + on-call RN for urgent issues/visits
- Hospice Aide for personal care (2 visits/week)
- Patients provided medications r/t diagnosis, plus medical equipment (oxygen, BSC,
hospital bed)

In-Patient Hospice:
- Residential facility with 24/7 care and services
- Patients must have acute symptoms (e.g., severe pain, seizures) with less than 1-2
weeks of life

What is Comfort Care?
- Change in focus of care – from life prolongation to exclusive focus on comfort
- Discontinuation of interventions for life prolongation (vents, IVFs, tube feeds,
antibiotics, dialysis)
- Provision of comfort and support to patients and families (management of pain,
dyspnea, anxiety, grief)
- Comfort Care does NOT mean withdrawal of care – we ALWAYS care for the patient!

Website: https://www.med.unc.edu/pcare/clinical/palliative-care-consultation-service

Nursing Practice and Professional Development / Assistive Personnel Orientation 2020 Page 17