NRS-420 Topic 5 DQ 2
End-of-life care becomes an issue at some point for elderly patients. Discuss the difference between palliative care and hospice care programs. Discuss what you can do as a nurse to support your patients regarding end-of-life care in accordance with their wishes. Explain the use of advance directives versus Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) and their legal implications when providing care for elderly patients.
Initial discussion question posts should be a minimum of 200 words and include at least two references cited using APA format. Responses to peers or faculty should be 100-150 words and include one reference. Refer to “RN-BSN DQ Rubric” and “RN-BSN Participation Rubric,” located in Class Resources, to understand the expectations for initial discussion question posts and participation posts, respectively.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education
This assignment aligns to AACN Core Competency 9.4.
Sample Answer for NRS-420 Topic 5 DQ 2
Comfort care, hospice care, pain control, and palliative care are some of the other choices that should be considered with patients who seek Medical Assistance in Dying (Claxton-Oldfield, 2020). The accompanying physician must advise the terminally ill adult who has requested medical help in dying that they have the right to change their thoughts at any moment.
Palliative care is part of end-of-life care. Palliative care makes you as comfortable as possible if you have a terminal illness. It manages your pain and other bothersome symptoms. It also covers psychological, social, and spiritual support for you, your family, and any caretakers. Palliative care is a type of treatment that focuses on minimizing pain and removing impediments to a high quality of life while undergoing treatment for a serious illness like cancer. Palliative care can begin early in a patient’s treatment and continue after the disease has been treated
Reference:
Claxton-Oldfield, S. (2020, April 8). The Role of Hospice Palliative Care Volunteers With Respect to Conversations About Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). Journal of Palliative Care, 36(3), 143–145. https://doi.org/10.1177/0825859720916563
Fujioka, J. K., Mirza, R. M., McDonald, P. L., & Klinger, C. A. (2018). Implementation of medical assistance in dying: a scoping review of health care providers’ perspectives. Journal of pain and symptom management, 55(6), 1564-1576
Sample Answer for NRS-420 Topic 5 DQ 2
As a nurse, you are to advocate for your patient. Helping the patient to discuss and voice their medical preferences is important. If that patient is at the end of their life, then certain legal parameters need to be adhered to. Euthanasia is legal in 10 states including Maine, New Jersey, Vermont, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, California, Hawaii, and DC (Haring, 2023). If the patient resides in those states, then a physician can prescribe medication to aid in the end-of-life. However, if the patient does not live in those states, then the nurse and the patient must decide when to discontinue treatments, and allow natural processes to take place. This could mean that tube feedings, oxygen, and IV fluids would be stopped. Each situation would have its own challenges, but ultimately as a nurse you are to advocate for your patient’s rights to be treated with dignity. https://deathwithdignity.org/ is a resource to educate and help families plan for the end-of-life scenarios that they face.
Haring, C. (2023, March 29). Medical aid in dying end-of-life option offers dignity. Death with Dignity. https://deathwithdignity.org/news/2023/03/3-29-23-senior-guide/#:~:text=That%20is%20euthanasia%2C%20which%20is
Maureen Kilzer
replied toKristi Cooper
May 1, 2024, 9:54 AM
Kristi, if the patient is of sound mind and can make this decision that would be acceptable. A patient can refuse care.
What if the patient is unresponsive?