Theory 2230 > Palliative Care > Flashcards

Palliative Care Flashcards

(84 cards)

Study These Flashcards
1
Q

What is palliative care?

A

Interdisciplinary care that anticipates, prevents, and manages physical, psychological, social, and spiritual suffering to optimize quality of life for patients, their families, and caregivers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

When is palliative care beneficial?

A

At any stage of serious illness.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Where can palliative care be delivered?

A

In any care setting through collaboration by different care providers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is a key outcome of palliative care?

A

Improves quality of life for both the patient and family.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is “serious illness”?

A

A health condition with a high risk of mortality that either negatively impacts a person’s daily function/quality of life or excessively strains their caregiver.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the overall goal of palliative care + serious illness care (per slide)?

A

Improve quality of life for patients/families with serious or life-threatening illness through prevention and relief from suffering.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the ideal timing for palliative care?

A

Appropriate at any stage of disease—ideally should begin at diagnosis.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Can palliative care be provided while a patient is still getting disease-directed treatment?

A

Yes—palliative care can be provided along treatment/life-prolonging care or as the main focus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How does palliative care relate to disease-directed therapies over the disease course?

A

They overlap—disease-directed therapies often start strong, while palliative care increases across the illness trajectory and continues through end of life.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Whose responsibility is palliative care (key concept)?

A

The responsibility of all clinicians and disciplines.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What kind of approach does palliative care use (key concept)?

A

An interdisciplinary approach that includes volunteers and community resources.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What support does palliative care offer to families (key concept)?

A

Support to help family cope during the patient’s illness and in bereavement.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What does the TIERED model of palliative care aim to do?

A

Proactively address sources of suffering across the illness trajectory.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is Tier 1 in the TIERED model?

A

Screening, preventative, and routine palliative care.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is Tier 2 in the TIERED model?

A

Palliative care triggered by emergent needs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is Tier 3 in the TIERED model?

A

End-of-life and complex palliative needs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Who typically addresses Tier 1 needs (per infographic)?

A

Primary health team (e.g., neurologist, internist, advanced practice provider) addressing basic communication needs, care planning, screening, and symptom management.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Who typically addresses Tier 2 needs (per infographic)?

A

Extended healthcare team (e.g., social work, mental health counseling, pain medicine) and community (e.g., home care) to address emergent/intensive needs during illness.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Who typically addresses Tier 3 needs (per infographic)?

A

Specialist palliative care (palliative medicine, neuropalliative care specialist) and hospice for end-of-life care, complex goals-of-care discussions, advanced illness, and refractory symptoms.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Palliative care is a “philosophy of care” based on what—needs or prognosis?

A

Needs (not prognosis).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What does “active total care” mean in palliative care?

A

Total care of mind, body, and spirit.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

How does palliative care view dying?

A

It affirms life and regards dying as a normal process.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Palliative care focuses on identification, assessment, and treatment of what 4 areas?

A

Pain, physical problems, psychosocial problems, and spiritual problems.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

How does palliative care expand traditional disease-oriented treatment?

A

Adds goals of enhancing QOL for patients/families, helping with decision-making, and providing opportunities for personal growth and meaning.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
In the care delivery model diagram, hospice is under what umbrella?
Under the umbrella of palliative care as a philosophy of care.
26
What are the palliative care delivery settings listed?
Institution-based, outpatient-based, and community-based.
27
What are the hospice care delivery settings listed?
Home care, respite, inpatient, and continuous care.
28
What is hospice (per slide)?
A care delivery model under the umbrella of palliative care as a philosophy of care.
29
Hospice eligibility—what life expectancy criterion is listed?
Limited life expectancy (< 6 months).
30
Hospice eligibility—what must stop (per slide)?
Curative or life-prolonging therapy (no longer receiving it).
31
Hospice “Where & How”—what kind of support does hospice provide?
Comprehensive medical/nursing, psychosocial, and spiritual support during the terminal phase of illness.
32
Hospice “Where & How”—where is hospice provided?
In the community setting wherever the patient lives (home, nursing home, other residential facilities).
33
Hospice coverage includes what major benefit?
Medicare hospice benefit.
34
Hospice coverage is also provided by what (per slide)?
Medicaid and most commercial health plans.
35
Hospice includes what type of support after death, and for how long?
Bereavement support for up to a year after the patient’s death.
36
Hospice Medicare Benefit (Step 01): What must be true about life expectancy?
Projected life expectancy of six months or less (assuming the diagnosis runs its natural course).
37
Hospice Medicare Benefit (Step 01): What must the patient choose regarding treatment?
Choose to stop curative treatments.
38
Choosing Hospice (Step 02): What are the three listed requirements?
Certified terminal illness; elected to have Medicare pay for hospice care; received care from a Medicare-certified hospice agency.
39
Services Received (Step 03): Who can be on the care team?
Physician, nurse, CNA, social worker, chaplain, volunteer.
40
Services Received (Step 03): What services are listed besides the care team?
Medication & equipment; assistance and resources; grief counseling; respite & companionship.
41
What are common symptoms of serious illness (per slide)?
Pain; dyspnea; fatigue; nausea and vomiting; constipation; diarrhea; anorexia/cachexia; anxiety; depression; delirium.
42
What is dyspnea?
Shortness of breath / difficulty breathing.
43
What is anorexia/cachexia?
Loss of appetite (anorexia) and/or muscle wasting/weight loss with illness (cachexia).
44
What is specialty palliative care?
Palliative care delivered by health care professionals who are palliative care specialists.
45
Who provides specialty palliative care (examples from slide)?
Board-certified physicians, palliative-certified nurses, palliative-certified social workers, pharmacists, chaplains.
46
What is primary palliative care?
Palliative care delivered by health care professionals who are not palliative care specialists.
47
Who provides primary palliative care (examples from slide)?
Primary care clinicians, disease-oriented specialists, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and others who care for patients with serious, life-threatening illness.
48
Name 3 barriers to palliative care (from slide).
Lack of resources; misunderstandings about palliative care; provider bias/reluctance to refer. (Also: lack of knowledge about resources; patient/family reluctance; restrictive eligibility criteria.)
49
What does “lack of knowledge about resources” mean as a barrier?
People don’t know what palliative services exist or how to access them.
50
What does “provider bias/reluctance to refer” mean as a barrier?
Clinicians hesitate or avoid referring patients to palliative care.
51
What are patient and family barriers/reluctance (as a barrier)?
Patients/families may resist palliative care (fear, stigma, misunderstanding).
52
What does “restrictive eligibility criteria” mean as a barrier?
Rules/requirements limit who can receive certain services.
53
Palliative care does everything to… (list from slide).
Minimize pain; maximize comfort; honor wishes; maintain dignity; facilitate informed decisions; support patients and families.
54
Why is communication important in palliative and end-of-life care (per slide)?
Communication is a tenet (core principle) of palliative and end-of-life care.
55
Effective communication helps to do what (per slide)?
Identify patient preferences, values, and goals for care; assess patient and family responses to serious illness; provide education and support to patients and families; facilitate patient and family decision-making.
56
What are the 3 key communication skills for seriously ill patients (per slide)?
Patience, empathy, honesty.
57
What does “patience” look like in palliative communication (per slide)?
Give the patient your complete, undivided attention; use open-ended questions; allow patient and family to voice questions and concerns.
58
What does “empathy” look like in palliative communication (per slide)?
Monitor patient and family responses; respond to emotions.
59
What does “honesty” look like in palliative communication (per slide)?
Tailor to level of understanding and desire for information; explore misconceptions and need for information.
60
How can you develop and maximize palliative communication skills (per slide)?
Refine your observational skills; practice one new skill at a time; record yourself; ask for feedback; do your own private debriefing/reflection; be patient with yourself; pay attention when someone tells you that you did a good job.
61
What does “practice one new skill at a time” mean?
Focus on improving one communication behavior before adding another.
62
What does “private debriefing/reflection” mean?
Personally review what went well/what to improve after a conversation.
63
What is advance(d) care planning?
A process that supports adults at any age or stage of health in understanding and sharing their personal values, life goals, and preferences regarding future medical care.
64
Advance care planning is for what ages/stages?
Any age or stage of health.
65
What is the goal of advance care planning (per slide)?
To ensure people receive care that is consistent with their values, goals, and preferences during serious and chronic illness.
66
What are the main types of advanced directives (per slide)?
Durable power of attorney for health care (health care power of attorney/health care proxy); living will; do not resuscitate (DNR); POLST (physician orders for life-sustaining treatment / portable medical order).
67
What is a durable power of attorney for health care also called?
Health care power of attorney; health care proxy.
68
What does DNR stand for?
Do not resuscitate.
69
What does POLST stand for?
Physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (portable medical order).
70
What has POLST been replacing (per slide)?
The MOLST (pink form).
71
Define grief (per slide).
Personal reactions and feelings that accompany an anticipated or actual loss.
72
Define mourning (per slide).
Individual, family, group, and cultural expressions of grief and associated behaviors.
73
Define bereavement (per slide).
Period of time after a death-related loss during which mourning takes place.
74
Is grief a linear process (per slide)?
No—grief is not a linear process.
75
Is there a “right way” to grieve or cope with death-related loss (per slide)?
No—there is no right way to grieve or cope.
76
Is there a time frame for grieving (per slide)?
No—there is no time frame for grieving.
77
What can help facilitate acceptance of death and loss as permanent (per slide)?
Provide opportunities for social and cultural rituals.
78
What is the goal of grief and mourning (per slide)?
Adaptation or accommodation to loss.
79
What should be promoted during grief and mourning (per slide)?
Family cohesion.
80
In end-of-life care, what should you consider about yourself (per slide)?
Your own experiences, attitudes, and values regarding illness, death, and dying.
81
What understanding of death should be developed in end-of-life care (per slide)?
Death as an expected and normal part of life.
82
What should be assessed about the patient in end-of-life care (per slide)?
Values, preferences, goals, beliefs, expectations, and practices.
83
What type of care should be provided in end-of-life care (per slide)?
Culturally sensitive care that supports the patient’s values, preferences, and goals.
84
What should you set aside in end-of-life care (per slide)?
Your own assumptions and attitudes toward death and dying.
Theory 2230
flashcards
Decks in class (11)
# Cards
Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2026 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions