Overview of Palliative Care and Non-Pain Symptom Management

Abstract

Upon completion of the chapter, the student will be able to: 1. Defi ne palliative care and differentiate it from hospice care. 2. Enumerate and understand the general rules of good doctor-patient communication including communicating bad news and advance care planning. 3. Identify and treat nonpain symptoms including dyspnea, cough, nausea and vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, bowel obstruction, mouth symptoms, skin symptoms, odor, and spiritual distress. 4. Understand the Medicare hospice benefi t. 547 Material in this chapter is based on the following chapters in Cassel CK, Leipzig RM, Cohen HJ, Larson EB, Meier DE, eds.