Concepts of Care for Patients at End of Life

Concepts of Care for Patients at End of Life

Mr. Ahuli is a 60-year-old American Indian man who has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Mr. Ahuli is married with two grown children and a large extended family who reside on a local reservation. Although Mr. Ahuli has chosen to use medicinal herbal remedies as his treatment of choice, he and his wife would like to explore the possibility of hospice care.

Question 1 Which members of the interprofessional hospice team would be most appropriate to initially talk with Mr. and Mrs. Ahuli?

 Question 2 After learning more about hospice care, Mr. Ahuli and his wife state that they wish to pursue this option. Mr. Ahuli says he would like to continue using the medicinal herbal remedies during hospice care. Will the hospice team be able to incorporate Mr. Ahuli’s medicinal herbal remedies into his plan of care? Why or why not?

Question 3 Should the hospice nurse assess the patient’s and family’s ability to cope? Why or why not?

Question 4 After receiving hospice care for two weeks, Mr. Ahuli dies a peaceful death with his wife, two children, and a number of extended family members at his side. The family spent 30 minutes following his death saying goodbye and supporting each other. His wife and children stayed at his side for an additional 10 minutes. The nurse is preparing to complete postmortem care. What are best practices for providing postmortem care for Mr. Ahuli?