| Douglas County VNA And Hospice |
Pain Management and Symptom Control
The spirit of Douglas County VNA and Hospice Care is to encourage quality of
existence for patients and families. Because of this abiding philosophy, pain and
symptom control lie at the very heart of the Hospice program of care. Medical and
pharmacological therapies control a range of debilities that, if untreated, sap a
patient's strength, will, and even human dignity.
Professional expertise and an individualized care plan make possible a control of
pain rarely achieved in other health care settings. Nowhere is this more evident than
in the work of the hospice physician, nurse, and the consulting pharmacist. The
physician, nurse, and pharmacist are important team members in evaluating pain and
treating it pharmacologically. Social workers, clergy, nurses, and professional and lay
volunteers work with psychological, emotional and spiritual pain. As a team, they
review the patient's status regularly.
The patient care plan must be creative, innovative, and flexible to respond to the
constantly changing challenges of irreversible illness. Some symptoms can be
relieved by simple measures such as repositioning, massage, relaxation techniques,
and distraction through arts and other activities. Yet medications are often crucial in
alleviating physical discomfort.
An important principle in our approach is that drug doses are carefully adjusted to
each patient's physical make-up. This assures pain relief without loss of alertness.
The goal is to control symptoms while maintaining optimum functioning. At Hospice,
the patient's needs dictate the medication level. Medications are administered on a
regular schedule, to eliminate not only pain, but also the fear of pain. Ease of
administering is a key consideration also. Patients are spared injections whenever
possible to make their lives more comfortable. The majority of the medications at
Hospice are taken orally. Because of this, it is possible for patients to be cared for at
home.
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Copyright © 2006 Douglas County Visiting Nurses Association
Last modified: 04/12/06
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