Chapters authored
Supportive and Palliative Care Attitude for Cancer Patients
The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the importance of palliative care and attitude towards end-of-life among cancer patients. Besides, it will focus on how the attitude towards cancer patients is defined and structured, and what are some of the factors that can have an effect on attitude. A person’s attitude towards an object (person, events, things) is determined by their feelings, emotions, beliefs, knowledge, and cultural attitudes (ethnic, racial, and religious factor). Moreover, the current chapter will try to clarify the misconceptions and fears of patients and caregivers towards palliative care and how we should try to change public perception. Attitudes towards palliative care are important not only to healthcare professionals but also to patients and their family members’ attitudes toward cancer. The quality of life of a cancer patient has a direct connection with the professional and nonprofessional caregiver’s knowledge of supportive care and attitude towards end-of-life care. Supportive and palliative care is an important component of the spectrum of health care services in the delivery of the best practices for cancer patients. Health care professionals play pivotal roles in the delivery of palliative care for cancer patients as they have to provide health care services with a positive attitude and also be prepared mentally.
Part of the book: Supportive and Palliative Care and Quality of Life in Oncology
Ethics in Palliative Care
The cases of ethical issues (new and unfamiliar daily circumstances) are increasing every day in palliative care services. The role of the codes of ethics is to help with these problems. The goal of end-of-life care for dying patients is to prevent or relieve suffering and respect the patient’s wishes and values. The benefits of ethical decision-making are relief of pain, improving the patient’s recovery, reducing the side effects of treatment, prevention of depression, and increasing quality of life. An essential component of the ethical decision-making processes may concern patients’ family members and society. However, physicians, healthcare teams, and nurses are facing difficulties in ethical challenges in end-of-life care. It should also protect the patient’s rights, dignity, beliefs, and religion. Healthcare professionals should understand the principles of ethics, ethical legal documents, advanced care planning, and ethical conflict to help patients make the best decision possible. The ethical principles guide healthcare professionals in the management of these situations and the problem they face in end of life care. In this chapter, we will cover the consideration regarding the ethical principles, ethical issues, ethical challenges, and dilemmas during the palliative care. The cases of ethical issues are increasing every day in the palliative care service.
Part of the book: New Research in Nursing