Volume 16, Number 2
 

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Bringing palliative care on to the European agenda

Since Recommendation 24 of the Council of Europe, palliative care has gained significant public support. In the two years following its publication in 2003, there were important advances in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France [see pages 100–101], Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia and Romania.

EAPC Task Force on Family Carers: aims and objectives

As the new European Association for Palliative Care Task Force on Family Carers begins investigating this under-researched area, Sheila Payne and Peter Hudson argue for greater recognition of family carers and look at how they can be supported more effectively

Exactly who is entitled to receive free NHS care?

Mark Taubert and Nikki Pease examine the rules surrounding foreign patients seeking healthcare in the UK and look at what happens if they need private palliative care

Improving care for patients with intellectual disabilities

How do professionals address the very specific needs of those patients with intellectual disabilities who need palliative care? Lisa Duplock, David Oliver and Rachel Forrester-Jones report on two recent qualitative studies

Job competency profiles for hospice nurses

Claire Kelly and Andrea Clark report on the successful collaboration between two hospices, in the north-east of England, to develop four job competency profiles, helping nurses to articulate their knowledge and skills for the benefit of all

Online courses for nurses working in palliative care

E-learning makes education accessible to all and has great potential to expand, thanks to recent advances in computer game technology. Robert Becker investigates the topic and considers an online course in palliative care offered by the charity Nurse Learning

Raising public awareness about planning a funeral

Jackie Saunders, Sarah Coates and Caroline Wade report on an open event organised by staff from a Suffolk hospice to provide high-quality information to the public on death, funerals and bereavement, while at the same time raising the hospice’s profile

SFAP: France is witnessing major developments in palliative care

In France, following a ground-breaking law on patients’ rights and the end of life in 2005, developments in hospice and palliative care have been particularly rich. A major four-year palliative care development programme was announced in June 2008. Godefroy Hirsch, Head of the French Society for Accompaniment and Palliative Care (Société Française d’Accompagnement et de Soins Palliatifs, SFAP), explains

Specialist occupational therapy for patients with brain tumour

People with primary brain tumours experience complex physical, cognitive and psychological problems. Kathy Thompson uses a case study to demonstrate how specialist occupational therapy can help those patients and their carers

The case study masterclass: Case 42 answers. An elderly patient with opioid-induced constipation

Jean Tremlett was admitted to the palliative care unit as an emergency. She is 79 years old and, 18 months ago, was diagnosed with lung cancer, which was treated with palliative radiotherapy. She has mild-to-moderate dementia and lives in an elderly mentally infirm (EMI) registered home. She has been getting a lot of back pain and is known to have bone metastases in her ribs and thoracic spine. These were diagnosed on a radio-isotopic bone scan. She refused any further anticancer treatment and is not being followed up by the oncologists.

The case study masterclass: Case 43. Fulfilling a patient’s wish to go home from intensive care

Les is a 58-year-old married man with Ebstein’s anomaly, a congenital heart disease, which was diagnosed when he was a young man. The condition encompasses a wide spectrum of anatomical and functional abnormalities of the tricuspid valve. His main problem is long-standing tricuspid valve regurgitation and right ventricular failure. Over recent months, this has worsened and Les has developed chronic renal and liver failure, and rhythm problems. He also suffers from gout, insulin-dependent diabetes and peripheral neuropathy. He is normally an active man who loves the outdoors and working on his allotment.

The strengths and weaknesses of telephone interviews

Should telephone interviews have a part to play in palliative care research? Rhidian Hughes weighs the pros and cons of the method

Using hypnosis in palliative care: a clinician’s experience

Sara Booth says the introduction of self-hypnosis training into her palliative care outpatient service has improved the patients’ quality of life. She describes how she uses the technique in her clinical practice and, in doing so, helps demystify it