Education

Patient Education Information

Committed to the prevention and relief of suffering during serious or life-threatening conditions, hospice and palliative medicine physicians have proven skills and experience to enhance their patients’ quality of life while treating their symptoms. Working together with a team of experienced healthcare professionals, the hospice and palliative medicine physician provides

• Expert relief of pain
• Treatment for a broad spectrum of other symptoms, such as fatigue, breathlessness, nausea and anxiety
• Attention to emotional an spiritual needs
  
• Help setting goals for care
  
• Guidance making complex treatment choices
  
• Coordination with other healthcare providers, including the primary physician and specialists such as oncologists, surgeons, and cardiologists
  
• Hospice services to improve quality of life at home or in the nursing home, hospital, or hospice facility
  
• Continued support for family members during the period of bereavement

We have compiled articles written by physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare provides that were originally published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine, the official journal of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. These articles provide some valuable information for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions. Click on the links below for a PDF of the article:

Comfort Measures Only
Kathleen Moneymaker, RN CHPN

Constipation Near the End of Life
Laura Mavity, MD

Delirium
Geoff Gordon, MD

Depression in Palliative Care
Andrea Axtell, MD

The Family Conference
Kathleen Moneymaker, RN CHPN

Food at End of Life
Lani Hammond, RN

Infections and the Use of Antibiotics in Dying Patients
Paul Bascom, M.D. and Mary Denise Smith, RN

Inpatient Hospice Care
Constance L. Rosson, MD and Jocelyn C. White, MD

Intravenous Fluids and End-of-Life Care
Tanya Lugliani Stewart, MD

Introduction to Palliative and Hospice Care
Heidi Rolfs, BA RN OCN

Methadone Information for Patients and Families
Laura De Simone, MS RPh

Nausea: Where Does it Come From?
Adam R. Kendall, MD MPH and Deanna K. Bower, DO

Prescription Pain Medicine: “Hooking” You or Helping You?
Deborah Frost, MD and Marian Hodges, MD

"To Sleep Before We Die...": When is Palliative Sedation an Option for the Dying Person?
Tanya Lugliani Stewart, MD

Spiritual RX for Family and Friends: In Palliative Care, Chaplains are Often Asked: “When Someone We Love is Dying … What Do We Do? How Might we Provide Comfort?”
Gwendolyn J. Morgan, MDiv MFA

Understanding the Dying Process: Transitions During Final Days to Hours
Kathleen A. Moneymaker, RN CHPN

The information and recommendations appearing on these materials are appropriate in most instances, but are not a substitute for medical diagnosis. For specific information concerning your personal situation or medical condition, JPM suggests that you consult your physician. These materials may be photocopied noncommercially by physicians and other health care professionals to share with patients. Any other print or online reproduction is subject to approval by the publisher:  Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. To purchase bulk reprints, call 914/740-2100.

Looking for a physician who is certified in palliative care by the American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine?  Visit ABHPM Physician Directory.

Links

These sites also provide helpful information for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions:

AARP
African Palliative Care Association
Alzheimer`s Association
AMARA ASSOCIACAO
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM)
Alliance of State Pain Initiatives
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
American Cancer Society
American College of Emergency Physicians
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
American College of Physicians
American College of Surgeons
American Geriatrics Society (AGS)
American Heart Association
American Hospice Foundation
American Lung Association
American Medical Directors Association (AMDA)
American Osteopathic Association
American Pain Society (APS)
American Psychiatric Association
American Society of Anesthesiologists
American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH)
American Stroke Association
Americans for Better Care of the Dying
Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network
Association for Death Education and Counseling
Association of Women Surgeons
Australian New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine
California Hospice Foundation
California Hospice & Palliative Care Association
Caring Connections
Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC)
Education for Physicians on End-of-Life Care (EPEC)
End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC)
European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC)
Family Caregiver Alliance
Family Doctor
Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Saharan Africa
Growth House
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA)
Hospice Association of America
Hospice Foundation of America
HospiceDirectory.org
Initiative for Pediatric Palliative Care (IPPC)
International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC)
International Association for the Study of Pain
MedlinePlus
Medical College of Wisconsin Palliative Care Center
Medical Group Management Association (MGMA)
National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)
National Organization of Hospice and Palliative Care
National Palliative Care Research and Training Center
National Stroke Association
Oxford University Press
Pain & Policy Studies Group
Palliative Care Network
Palliative Care Policy Center
Palliative Care Resources Online
Radiological Society of North America
Royal Australasian College of Physicians (Palliative Medicine Chapter)
Share the Care
Social Work in Hospice and Palliative Care Network
University of Wisconsin Pain & Policy Studies Group (PPSG)
Veterans Health Administration Facilities Locator and Directory
WebMD
World Health Organization

Other Resources

"When You or Your Family Members Have a Serious Illness: What Are Your Care Options?" (English)

"When You or Your Family Members Have a Serious Illness: What Are Your Care Options?" (Spanish)