This immeasurability of knowledge was evident in the participants' narratives and was exacerbated by the conveying of "false hope" or "false optimism" to patients and patients' family members.
Seconding Robichaux's argument is Backstrand's (2006) findings that hospital-based EOL programs are not the "ideal" form of healthcare that elderly patients should receive, according to a survey of nurses. For the nurses, "no patient should face death alone," which ultimately happens when patients are confined in a hospital facility receiving palliative care. Comparing ICU EOL care against the hospice and nursing home care programs, 'dying with dignity' is remote in this kind of program, since "[t]he ICU is no place to die. It would be nice to have a comfortable, quiet, spacious room for those who are dying. Let everyone in and let the rest of the ICU function as it should" (41).
Indeed, the image of a comfortable and quiet resting place for elderly patients are embodied in both hospice and nursing homes, which, compared against ICU-based EOL care, specifically target the elderly and provision of EOL care as its main goals. Both hospices and nursing homes do not provide EOL care as a secondary nor optional program infused within their own healthcare services, unlike in the ICU environment, wherein palliative care is but one of the programs only of the hospital, an additional healthcare service on top of the medical services it offers to people of all socio-demographic profile.
Hospices are considered as being able to meet the necessary EOL care needed by the patient. In addition to EOL care, patients are also able to receive "exceptional pain management while alleviating emotional burdens, providing spiritual support, and enhancing quality of life" (Elliot, 2006:85). Evidently, hospices provide a more individual-centered and multi-dimensional perspective to the concept of end of life care. It takes into consideration not only the...
ethical hospice care is that it must be founded upon honesty. "Frank discussions about death and dying, clarifying knowledge of the underlying illness and knowledge of the dying process" is essential (Guido 2010: 35). However, this must be balanced with the patient's desire for confidentiality and his right to die in a way which honors his wishes. In this instance, a private and confidential discussion with Mr. West is
Cultural Issues in End of Life Care In this age of increased social diversity the cultural aspects of end-of-life care have become increasingly important in the nursing profession. This importance is however complicated by technology and the cultural problematics of extended life care through artificial means. In the book Cultural Issues in End-of-Life Decision Making (Braun, K, Pietsch, J.H. Blanchette, P. 1999) the crucial point is made that "providing cultural and
The feeling of being lost and lonely can be overwhelming. Those are the times I must work especially hard; those are the times that test my faith in God. I may come to feel psychologically strong by moving through difficult periods with grace and trust. Feeling at home in the Universe is a rare feeling, which may only come a few times in my life. However, I can prepare
Changes in Healthcare in the United StatesThis article illustrates how universal healthcare may lead to a healthy population in America and assist in mitigating an unhealthy nation\\\'s economic costs for a long time. Specifically (Zieff et al. 2020), there exist significant disparities in the United States where citizens within the low socio-economic category of the population are exposed to low or decreased quality healthcare access and increased exposure to chronic
Part One The American healthcare system is in a crisis situation, with exorbitant spending unbalanced by “poor health outcomes, including shorter life expectancy and greater prevalence of chronic conditions” versus high income countries with universal healthcare systems (Squires & Anderson, 2015, p. 1). The Affordable Care Act was an attempt, albeit an incomplete one, to reform the way healthcare is structured and financed. Universal health care is a concept that has
The results of this analysis highlight the need for hospitals to fine-tune their discharge process to reduce readmissions, and support the expenditure of additional resources for this purpose as a cost-effective intervention; as an example, author cites a hospital in Iowa that implemented a rigorous post-discharge planning process for patients with heart failure and 30-day readmission rates were reduced by 3-9% during the 3-month period following implementation. Conclusion The research showed
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