Untitled Essay Research Paper General Purpose of

Untitled Essay, Research Paper

General Purpose of the Department:As we have learned, the hospice idea is not new. Literally meaning “given

to hospitality,” hospices provided comfort, kindness, and nourishment to

people in need hundreds of years ago. Today, hospices offer comfort to people

as they near the end of life’s journey.Hospice is a special way of caring for people with terminal illnesses and

their families. It is a multidisciplinary health care program that is responsible

for palliative and supportive care with consideration of the patient’s and

families wishes. Hospice focuses on care, not cure.Hospice care is important because it provides many benefits that aren’t possible

in a traditional acute or long-term health care setting. Within hospice,

the family of the patient is directly involved in making decisions and helping

their loved one. Hospice also gives the patient to have a great amount of

control by deciding where they want to spend the rest of their lives. It

can also help make choices about advanced directives which we will discuss

shortly.

Major Functions of the Department:Hospice is a very unique department because it truly looks at the “big picture”

and treats a spectrum of patient needs equally. Special attention is given

to:Physical needs – this is the first and foremost function. Within hospice

you are dealing with a patient that has been given a diagnosis of having

6 months or less to live. For many patients, relieving pain through medication

is an important part of hospice care. I have provided you with a list of

ways that patients are made more comfortable. A goal of hospice it to help

patients use their physical abilities as fully as possible.Social Needs – Sometimes little things make all the difference to people.

Although these patients may not be as active as before their illness, you

can see on your handout a list of things that they probably still enjoy.

Hospice can help to make these things happen, as well as provide assistance

with practical issues like putting finances in order.Emotional Needs: Hospice can help patients cope with loneliness, isolation,

and the fear of being abandoned. This is outlined on your handout as to how

the hospice staff accomplishes this. Hospice also helps friends and families

of the patient express their emotions through group and bereavement

counseling.Spiritual Needs – the realization that a person’s spirituality is of a daily

concern to the patient has led hospice care to this area. Hospice tries to

organize the types of care outlined on your handout. Members of the clergy

can also help family and friends who are in need of spiritual support.As you can now see, there are many areas of patient care that hospice has

a direct focus on. This now brings me to the subject of the people involved:

the staff.

Staffing of the Department:As with all departments, the actual number of staff will vary by facility.

However, there are required members of the staff that must have certain

qualifications. For instance, there must be nurses to do in-home care. These

nurses can be either RN’s or LPN’s depending on the level of patient care

involved. In addition is a staff physician who consults with the patient’s

primary care physician and helps to oversee the patient care plan. In addition,

there are is a staff psychiatrist and a psychologist who do individual and

family counseling, volunteer visits, holiday programs, support groups, and

learning about loss and grief. Some hospices help with funeral arrangements.

Also part of the hospice team are the hospice coordinator or director, other

consulting physicians and specialists, a member of the clergy, a social worker,

a dietitian, a pharmacist, therapists who perform physical and occupational

therapy. Also there are home care aides and volunteers. Hospice members offer

care for patients on-call 24-hours a day.Depending on the patient’s needs at the time, hospice care is provided in

a variety of settings including the patient’s home, inpatient facilities

including a nursing home, or a combination of venues..

Special Requirements:Staff needs to be oriented in the special situations that arise in dealing

with a patient in their own home. Respect for the patient and their surroundings

is of utmost importance. Being empathetic to even the smallest of concerns

is the mark of a well-trained care-giver. There must be an emphasis on

maintaining a quality of life that the patient as well as the family feel

comfortable with.Since the patient is treated by such a wide variety of workers, there are

weekly case management meetings which are mandated by Medicare, but often

also influenced by hospital policy to ensure quality of care. It is at this

time that information is shared by all who have had contact with the patient

and any concerns are addressed. This helps for the staff to work out their

feelings as well – b

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