Care of the Dying: A pathway to excellence
John Ellershaw and Susie Wilkinson
Abstract
Even for the most experienced healthcare professional, managing the last few days of life can be difficult. This book provides guidelines for the care of the dying based on the Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP). Developed at a hospice, the information can be disseminated and adapted to fit different settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. The LCP is a multiprofessional document that incorporates evidence-based practice and appropriate guidelines related to care of the dying. It provides a template that describes the process of care which is generally delivered in a clini ... More
Even for the most experienced healthcare professional, managing the last few days of life can be difficult. This book provides guidelines for the care of the dying based on the Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP). Developed at a hospice, the information can be disseminated and adapted to fit different settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. The LCP is a multiprofessional document that incorporates evidence-based practice and appropriate guidelines related to care of the dying. It provides a template that describes the process of care which is generally delivered in a clinical situation and incorporates the expected outcome of care delivery. The LCP replaces all other documentation in this phase of care. Care pathways can provide a potentially powerful aid to professionals involved in palliative care. Basic principles of treatment are translated into daily practice, including bedside documentation systems, policies and procedures, standards of practice, continuing education, and quality-improvement programmes. This book includes chapters on symptom control, ethical issues, communication skills, and spiritual care, which underpin the use of the LCP.
Keywords:
healthcare professional,
LCP,
hospitals,
nursing homes,
care pathways,
bedside documentation systems,
symptom control,
ethical issues,
communication skills,
spiritual care
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2010 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780199550838 |
| Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: November 2011 |
DOI:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199550838.001.0001 |
Authors
Affiliations are at time of print publication.
John Ellershaw, editor
Professor of Palliative Medicine, University of Liverpool and Director of the Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute, Liverpool, UK
Author Webpage
Susie Wilkinson, editor
Head of Palliative Care Research, Marie Curie Palliative Care Research & Development Unit, Royal Free & University College Medical School, London, UK
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