MILESTONE TWO: COMFORT MEDICATIONS AND HOSPICEMilestone Two: Comfort Medications and HospiceSouthern New Hampshire UniversityNUR 440March 16, 20191
MILESTONE TWO: COMFORT MEDICATIONS AND HOSPICEAccording to the CDC in 2013 there were more than 1.3 million individuals on hospice care nationwide (2016). There are many myths about hospice care and the use of comfort medications such as morphine. It seems that patients suffer longer from symptoms that can be managed, however healthcare staff, families and patients are under educated on the benefits of using these medications at the end of life. “Hospice care includes pain control, symptom management and spiritual needs (Chi, Pike, & Oliver, 2017).” There are many obstacles that exist that contribute to the undertreatment of pain and other symptoms at the end of life. For example, as Coyle,Elverson, Harlow, Jordan, McNamara, O’Neill, and Stephensonstate “the view that opioids are lethal is inflated by news reports of deaths of people who abuse drugs or are in chronic pain. However, most evidence worldwide suggests that opioids used to
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- Summer '17
- Suffering
