1. A. What is palliative care?

Palliative care is an additional form of care for those who have been diagnosed with a

terminal illness or disease for which they may or may not be receiving treatment for.

Palliative care takes on a holistic approach to provide mind, body, and spiritual needs as

well as symptom management.

B. Who can benefit most from it?

Palliative care would most benefit someone with a life-threatening illness or terminal disease

who forgoes or withdraws from treatment.

C. What is the goal of palliative care?

The goal of palliative care is to optimize the quality of life of somebody who is suffering from an

illness by providing pain management and overall support of the patient and family.

A. What is hospice care?

Hospice care provides the same support as palliative care except it is designated to those

who have an expectancy of six or less months left to survive, which must be decided

upon by two medical providers. The hospice team then takes over becoming the primary

care providers. Hospice provides relief of pain and suffering and helps to maintain the

patient’s dignity as they reach the end of life.

B. What are misperceptions about hospice care?

A common misperception about hospice care is that it is intended for those who have only

weeks or days to live. Another misperception (that I have witnessed) is that hospice is used to

hasten death by use of excessive narcotic administration to suppress respiratory function.

What are the primary differences between hospice and palliative care?

The primary differences between hospice and palliative care are that unlike hospice, in

palliative care there is no limitation to life expectancy. Also, palliative care can be used in

conjunction with other treatments.

2. Who is on the palliative care team?

The palliative care team consists of physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and

chaplains.

5. What role does the family play in palliative care?

The role of the family is to provide daily hands-on care for their loved one.

3. Can one be under both palliative and hospice care at once?

Hospice care and management

Foundations Of Nurs Ii (Sl-R) (NU 204T)