Explain the difference between hospice and palliative care. Based on Mr. Smith’s current assessment findings, discuss the type of care (i.e., palliative, hospice, rehabilitative, etc.) that would be most appropriate for him. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words. Hospice and palliative care aimed at improving the quality of life of patients. However, the two differ. Patients suffering from any serious condition require palliative care. The care does not consider a patient’s prognosis. Palliative care aims at symptom relief and promotion of the physical, emotional, and psychosocial needs of patients. Patients with terminal illness or poor prognosis require hospice care. This includes patients whose life expectancy is less than six months. Hospice care promotes dignified death, comfort, and a better quality of life in periods before death. Hospice care is also given to patients who have proven unresponsive to curative care (Tatum & Mills, 2020). Palliative care is the most appropriate care for Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith has not been diagnosed with any terminal illness. The physician has also not determined his prognosis. Curative treatments are still effective for Mr. Smith’s condition. As a result, palliative care is the most appropriate for the management of his physical symptoms, emotional, and psychosocial needs. Develop a plan to address Mr. Smith’s needs including living environment, health care needs, mental health needs, and financial resources. In your plan, include a discussion of the type of support Mr. Smith needs now that he no longer has a support system and struggles to comprehend his current health needs and management. Your response should be a minimum of 200 words.
| Mr. Smith’s living environment should promote safety. The home environment should be free from clutter and any slippery material that would predispose him to falls. The home should have adequate lighting to minimize the risk of falls. Mr. Smith’s healthcare needs should be prioritized in the discharge process. This includes ensuring that a wound care nurse is involved in his care to provide the required wound cleaning and dressing. The nurse would also ensure that Smith’s medication needs are met. Mr. Smith’s access to mental healthcare after discharge should be maintained. This includes ensuring his close contact with the psychiatrist nurse and providing regular physical and virtual follow-up. Mr. Smith’s financial needs should be incorporated into his discharge plan. Currently, Mr. Smith does not work and lacks a source of financial support (Ghorbani et al., 2021). Therefore, the case manager should implement strategies such as providing transportation services to Mr. Smith to ease the challenges experienced in accessing his care. |
