Holistic and Patient-Centered Care
An important area in nursing practice is in palliative and end-of-life care. Palliative care provides a more holistic approach to patient care and attempts to slow the progression of a disease. Palliative care can include an array of non-pharmaceutical therapies such as massage therapy or yoga. It can also include shorter or smaller treatments aimed at reducing negative side effects.
End-of-life care is about the process of dying. Helping patients and their families through this time can be difficult yet rewarding. Patients deserve respect and quality care through this time as well. Like nurses who practice in palliative care organizations, hospice nurses are moving toward alternative therapies to aid in comforting the terminally ill patient. As more care is being delivered in the home, the role of the nurse in providing palliative and end-of-life care will continue to evolve.
This week, you will consider the emerging role of nursing in palliative and end-of-life care. In addition, the ethical issues nurses face with end-of-life care are examined. Finally, you will complete work on your Dashboard nursing plan Assignment.
The use of complementary and alternative therapies in the treatment of cancer patients, terminal patients, and many other types of patients is steadily increasing. The Resources also contain much information about the various alternative therapies currently being used.
For this assignment, you will consider alternative therapies and discuss the challenges associated with them.
-Review the Resources pertaining to alternative therapies.
–Select one of the following areas where alternative therapies are being used:
- Cancer treatment
- Cancer symptom management
- End-of-life care
- Palliative care
Find at least one scholarly journal article discussing alternative therapies in your chosen subtopic.
Post: A 4-paragraph (at least 450 words) response. Be sure to use evidence from the readings and include in-text citations. Utilize essay-level writing practice and skills, including the use of transitional material and organizational frames. Avoid quotes; paraphrase to incorporate evidence into your own writing. A reference list is required. Use the most current evidence (usually ≤ 5 years old)
Respond to the following:
- Identify at least one challenge associated with the nurse’s role in providing alternative therapies for patient care.
- Explain how the nurse might integrate the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) approaches in your chosen subtopic and discuss the ethical issues nurses may face.
- What are the main elements you would include in a teaching plan for nurses on the use of CAM in your chosen subtopic?
- What is the shared role of the nurse and patient in developing care plans?
Grading creteria:
- Identified one challenge associated with the nurse’s role in the use of evolving alternative therapies in your chosen topic.
- Explained integration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in chosen topic and examined the ethical issues nurses face.
- Considered the shared role of the nurse and patient in developing a plan of care
- Outlined main elements needed in a teaching plan for nurses on the use of CAM.