Comment: Challenges in end-of-life care: what the VOICES survey tells us
Claire Henry
pp 265-265
Every minute someone in England dies, but there is an increasing body of evidence to suggest that, although some people are able to benefit from exemplary care and support when they are approaching death, too many still aren’t getting the right care at the end of their lives.
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Managing cholestatic pruritus in palliative care
Claire Magee
pp 266-269
How much do we know about pruritus and how is it best managed in palliative care? Claire Magee sums up current knowledge and evidence, outlining key treatment recommendations for healthcare practitioners.
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Impact and management of MRSA in palliative care
Aoife Gleeson, Philip Larkin and Niamh O’Sullivan
pp 270-272
Little is known about the impact of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in palliative care settings. Aoife Gleeson, Philip Larkin and Niamh O’Sullivan consider the available evidence on how to manage MRSA in patients with palliative care needs.
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Case study masterclass 77: Recognising the complications of polypharmacy in an elderly man with prostate cancer
Charlotte Leach
pp 274-275
Albert, aged 78 years, is a retired schoolteacher who lives with his wife Doris, aged 81, in a two-bedroom ground floor flat which is part of a warden-controlled accommodation block.
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Case study masterclass 76 answers: Difficulty managing seizures in a patient with bilateral subdural haematomas
James Cheaveau
pp 276-276
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Palliative care and cystic fibrosis – the benefits of integrated working
Maureen Carruthers and Anna-Marie Stevens
pp 277-281
Many people now live with cystic fibrosis well into adulthood. When and how should the palliative care team start having some input into the care of cystic fibrosis patients? Maureen Carruthers and Anna-Marie Stevens explores this delicate question with the help of a case study.
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NSAIDs: which drug for which patient?
Dylan Harris
pp 282-285
Dylan Harris provides a summary of the evidence regarding the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal adverse effects of different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and an algorithm to guide the choice of the most appropriate drug.
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Planning for the future: developing an advance care plan for patients with end-stage renal disease
Laura Clipsham, Caroline Cooke, Graham Warwick and Coral Graham
pp 286-289
Advance care planning can greatly benefit patients with end-stage renal disease, argue Laura Clipsham, Caroline Cooke, Graham Warwick and Coral Graham, who describe how a patient-held advance care plan was created at the Leicester General Hospital renal unit.
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Book review: The Hastings Center Guidelines for Decisions on Life-Sustaining Treatment and Care Near the End of Life, 2nd edition
Steinunn Boyce
pp 289-289
There is an instant appeal to a slim volume that promises to guide ethical decision-making in the context of life-sustaining treatment and end-of-life care. However, can a book written for a US audience meet the needs of professionals and patients in other countries?
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Co-ordination of care at the end of life: a carer’s view
Nicki Cornwell
pp 290-293
In the last months of her husband’s life, Nicki Cornwell experienced first-hand a blatant lack of co-ordination and communication within and between healthcare services, which created numerous problems for her and her husband. Here is her testimony.
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Implementing spiritual care at the end of life: Finland
Raili Gothóni
pp 294-295
In this occasional series, members of the Task Force on Spiritual Care in Palliative Care of the European Association for Palliative Care report on recent developments and current debates in their respective countries. Here, Raili Gothóni takes a look at Finland.
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Role models: David Currow, Chair of Palliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University
David Currow
pp 296-297
Welcome to our new series, in which we will profile leaders in palliative care – people who help set the agenda and influence policy, in Europe and other parts of the world. In this issue our ‘role model’ is from Australia: David Currow, involved in education and research at a very high level, tells us about what inspires him in palliative care.
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EAPC Early Researcher Award 2011 – looking back
Ralf J Jox and Judith Rietjens
pp 298-299
Since 2009, the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) has recognised and supported the work of scientists and clinicians who make an outstanding contribution to palliative care research through its Early Researcher Award. Here, Ralf J Jox and Judith Rietjens describe the paths their careers have taken since they won the Award in 2011.
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Core competencies for palliative care social work in Europe: an EAPC White Paper – part 1
Sean Hughes, Pam Firth and David Oliviere
pp 300-305
The European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) Task Force on Social Work in Palliative Care proposes a consensus White Paper on core competencies in palliative care social work, presented by Sean Hughes, Pam Firth and David Oliviere. This is part 1, and part 2 will follow in the next European Journal of Palliative Care (Vol 22, No 1).
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Specialisation in Palliative Medicine for Physicians in Europe – presenting a new EAPC publication
Carlos Centeno, Deborah Bolognesi, Eduardo Garralda and Guido Biasco
pp 306-308
The European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) recently published a booklet entitled Specialisation in Palliative Medicine for Physicians in Europe 2014. Carlos Centeno, Deborah Bolognesi, Eduardo Garralda and Guido Biasco explain how it was put together and what purposes it serves.
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European insight: ehospice: revolutionising access to hospice and palliative care news and intelligence
Daniel Ward
pp 309-311
Launched in October 2012, ehospice is a global news and information resource using the latest web and mobile technology to help improve access to quality end of life care for anyone who needs it.
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