What is Palliative care approach - Meaning and definition

Published by Roberto Wenk. Reviewed by Alison Ramsey. Last updated date: January 22, 2019.

A term that has been used to describe care that aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with an eventually fatal condition and their families by reducing their suffering through early identification, assessment and treatment of pain, physical, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual needs.

Palliative Care Australia. Palliative and end-of-life care glossary of terms. 2009.

Published by Roberto Wenk. Reviewed by Alison Ramsey. Last updated date: January 22, 2019.

A way to integrate palliative care methods and procedures in settings not specialized in palliative care.
This includes not only pharmacological and nonpharmacological measures for symptom control, but also communication with patient and family as well as with other health care professionals, decision-making, and goal setting in accordance with the principles of palliative care.
The palliative care approach should be made available to general practitioners and staff in general hospitals, as well as for nursing services and nursing home staff. To enable these service providers to use the palliative care approach, palliative care has to be included in the curricula for medical, nursing, and other related professionals’ basic education. All professionals working in health care should be confident with basic palliative care principles and be able to put them into practice.

Radbruch L, Payne S and the Board of Directors of the EAPC. EAPC update. White Paper on standards and norms for hospice and palliative care in Europe: part 1. European Journal of Palliative Care, 2009; 16(6).

Palliative care approach

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