1. What are some of the common concerns people facing life-limiting illnesses might have?
2. What are some of the physical, psychological and social changes that could make a person with a lifelimiting illness feel a loss of control?
3. What are the reasons that people often fear pain and other symptoms even when effective symptom management may be available?
4. Why is it important for health care professionals to understand a persons perception of quality of life and how it changes over time?
5. The World Health Organizations (WHO) definition of palliative care states that palliative care is applicable early in the course of illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications.
6. Discuss what is meant by early in the course of a life-limiting illness.
7. How would you respond in a situation where a caregiver has asked you not to inform the patient about their illness?
8. How do you respond to a patient who tells you that they have ‘had enough’ and no longer want treatment?
9. . Review Palliative Care Australias publication “Standards for providing quality palliative care for all Australians” and identify the key points distinguishing the following definitions: palliative approach specialist palliative care provider.
10. What are the main issues for children when a parent has a life-limiting illness?
11. How would you respond to a parent who is concerned about the effect of their illness on their children?
12. . What are the potential barriers that may hinder discussions between health professionals and patients about their distress?
13. . What strategies might a health care professional use to introduce sensitive issues, such as spirituality, intimacy or sexuality?
14. What might be some of the issues experienced by families and carers in the following End-of-life care settings:
a) hospital
b) home
c) Hospice?
15. Review the following terms and provide a definition for each:
a) life-limiting illness
b) illness trajectory
c) prognostic factors
16. Choose one type of cancer (for example, lung cancer) and one non-cancer life-limiting illness (for example, chronic heart failure). Research the literature and answer the following questions:
17. . Identify current epidemiological data relating to incidence and survival rates
18. Identify classifications, staging, grading and/or prognostic factors
19. What types of health problems or needs might arise throughout the course of the illness trajectory for these conditions?
20. How are these trajectories similar or different to that of a frail older person who is dying?
21. . List the key principles for undertaking a multidimensional assessment of the symptoms for people with advanced life-limiting disease?
22. How would you describe the primary goals of palliative care?
23. How can you assess a person’s preference for their care?
24. What are some of the reasons that individuals with life-limiting illnesses may continue to have the goal of cure?
25. . Visit the Respecting Patient Choices (RPC) website. Review the relevant legislation in conjunction with the RPC Guide to Advance Care Planning.
26. Answer the following questions:
a) What are the steps that an individual would follow in order to participate in advance care planning?
b) What are the implications of the legislation for you as a health professional?
27. . List three (3) major functions of a multidisciplinary palliative care team.
28. Describe how you could provide a warm, caring environment for a dying resident in an aged care facility.
29. . What is an advance care plan and how will this assist a palliative care person as their condition deteriorates?
30. . What nursing actions could help an emaciated individual whose pain is controlled but who cannot get physically comfortable in bed?
31. Describe five (5) ways you can promote a sense of wellbeing in the partner of a person who is dying in the acute care hospital setting.
32. . Undertake research on one (1) of the following complementary/alternative therapies listed below. You are required to identify for this therapy what it is, how this style of therapy could be used as part of a therapeutic regime for a client’s comfort and relaxation. Outline the benefits and contraindications if any. For this suggested complementary therapy what stage of life would benefit from it the most? The therapies to choose from are
- a) Relaxation b) Imagery c) Tai Chi d) Therapeutic touch e) Reflexology f) Aromatherapy g) Animal assisted therapy h) Music therapy i) Play therapy j) Meditation
Textbook reference:
? Tollefson, J. Watson, G. Jelly, E. Tambree. (2016) Part 1 General Care. In. Essential Clinical Skills Enrolled Nurses (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited
? Tollefson, J. Watson, G. Jelly, E. Tambree. (2016) Part 3 Assessment. In. Essential Clinical Skills Enrolled Nurses (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited
? Tollefson, J. Watson, G. Jelly, E. Tambree. (2016) Part 8 Specific Skills. In. Essential Clinical Skills Enrolled Nurses (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited
? Clarke, l. Gray, S. (2016) Chapter 13 End of Life. In. White, L. Duncan, G. Foundations of Nursing Enrolled Division 2 Nurses (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited
? Clarke, l. Gray, S. (2016) Chapter 16 Complementary/Alternative Therapies. In. White, L. Duncan, G. Foundations of Nursing Enrolled Division 2 Nurses (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited
? Bishop, L. (2016). Chapter 18 Health information – Nursing documentation and clinical handover. In. Koutoukidis, G, Stainton, K & Hughson, J., Tabbners nursing care. (7th ed.). Chatswood, NSW: Churchill Livingstone.
Gault, M. (2016). Chapter 8 Communication and nursing practice. In. Koutoukidis, G, Stainton, K & Hughson, J. Tabbners nursing care. (7th ed.). Chatswood, NSW: Churchill Livingstone
? Website reference:
? Palliative Care Australia - http://palliativecare.org.au/im-a-health-professional/
? CareSearch Palliative Care Knowledge network - https://caresearch.com.au/Caresearch/Default.aspx ? Australian Government Cancer Learning - http://cancerlearning.gov.au/
? Palliative Care Online Training - https://www.pallcaretraining.com.au/
PCC4U Learning modules , available at www.pcc4u.org/Moodle learning platform particularly Module I Principles of palliative care, Module 2 Communication and Topic 1 Multidisciplinary care.
? Palliative Care Online Training - https://www.pallcaretraining.com.au/
? CareSearch, Knowledge Network in Palliative Care, www.caresearch.com.au