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Palliative sedation
1Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA. mary.lawson@ololrmc.com
Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing
|November 29, 2011
Summary
Palliative care aims to relieve suffering, but 90% of advanced cancer patients face severe pain. Comprehensive evaluation of all symptom dimensions is crucial for effective pain management when patients cannot communicate.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Oncology
- Symptom Management
Background:
- Palliative care focuses on alleviating human suffering.
- Severe pain affects approximately 90% of patients with advanced cancer.
- Intolerable suffering is defined as symptoms beyond a patient's endurance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the prevalence of severe pain in advanced cancer patients.
- To define intolerable human suffering in a healthcare context.
- To emphasize the importance of evaluating all symptom dimensions.
Main Methods:
- This study is a review of palliative care principles and symptom management in advanced cancer.
- It defines intolerable suffering and discusses decision-making when patients cannot communicate.
- It stresses the need for a holistic evaluation of symptoms.
Main Results:
- Severe pain is a near-universal experience for advanced cancer patients.
- Family or designated decision-makers play a crucial role in assessing suffering when patients are non-communicative.
- A multi-dimensional assessment (physical, psychological, social, emotional, spiritual) is essential.
Conclusions:
- Effective palliative care requires addressing severe pain and suffering in advanced cancer.
- When patients cannot communicate, surrogate decision-makers are vital for symptom assessment.
- A comprehensive, multi-dimensional evaluation is fundamental to relieving suffering.
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