Category: Ethics
Articles about end-of-life ethical issues including ethical dilemmas
Failure to Decline in Hospice – The Good and The Ugly
If your loved one is facing a discharge from hospice due to failure to decline, it's crucial to comprehend the situation clearly. This discharge indicates that the healthcare team believes your loved one's condition has stabilized and no longer requires hospice care. While this might be a positive sign, it's important to weigh the pros and cons before making decisions. Let's delve into both the positive and negative aspects of this situation to help you navigate it effectively.
Advocating for Your Terminally Ill Loved One in a Facility
As a family member of a terminally ill loved one receiving care in a facility, you play a vital role in ensuring they receive the best possible care and support during their journey towards a good death. Advocating for your loved one involves understanding their needs, communicating effectively with the facility staff, and staying informed about their care plan. This article aims to guide you on being an effective advocate, asking the right questions, and ensuring your loved one's comfort and well-being.
Eye-Opening Lessons on Trusting Nursing Facilities: Advocating for Comfort in End-of-Life Care
As an experienced hospice visiting registered nurse, today offered me profound insights from two interconnected perspectives. The first highlights the blind trust we often place in facility nurses and doctors when caring for our loved ones. The second involves the challenges I encountered while advocating for proper end-of-life care for a patient with Alzheimer's.
Two days…. until…
There is a spiritual connection in hospice, dealing with death and dying forty-plus hours per week. We who are in the field see it often, but there are times when we hear it firmly from the patients and families whom we serve. Let me share the most recent event on Memorial Day, 5/29/2023, week.
Ethical Dilemmas in Hospice
As a hospice RN case manager, I have seen many ethical dilemmas arise in end-of-life situations. Hospice care is unique because it focuses on providing comfort care to patients no longer seeking curative treatment for their illnesses. As a result, the ethical concerns in hospice care differ from those in other healthcare settings. This article will explore some ethical dilemmas that can arise in hospice care and how they can be addressed.
Before I review several case studies gathered from the sources in the resource section below, please allow me to share a current one of mine that is ongoing as this article is being published.
The Dark Side of Physical Therapy for Geriatric Patients with Dementia
Explore the ethical dilemma of physical therapy for terminally ill dementia patients. This article examines the potential harm of aggressive interventions, highlighting the importance of comfort-focused care. Learn why hospice professionals often advocate for gentler approaches in end-of-life dementia care.
Faith stories — yes, faith can be a part of nursing life
Faith and religion in the workplace: Yes, faith has a place in work, and when utilized to direct how one works and interacts with one's patients and families, it can result in a blessing that does not disrespect others.
This article came to be partly a response to one of my favorite YouTube nursing channels, where Nurse Katherine provides educational videos for new and experienced nurses. Her most recent episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_lE9O1I3LQ asks the valid question relating to the place of “Religion, Beliefs, and the practice of Medicine | should & can they be combined?”
The first waves of COVID-19 in a nursing home — sharing memories, from heroes to dirty, filthy…
Personal stories from the frontlines of Covid-19 in a nursing home, highlighting the bravery of heroes and the harsh realities faced by residents and staff.