Raquel Echaluse BSN III

PALLIATIVE CARE

Multidisciplinary or
Interprofessional team
1. Medical/ Hospital Director
Our medical specialists provide specialist medical palliative care,
and work in collaboration with other members of the palliative
care team. They also participate in undergraduate and
postgraduate health professional education, research, and policy
and service development. The medical specialists also contribute
to up skilling of GPs etc. and provide general education in the
palliative care approach.
2. Registered Nurse
The palliative care nurses' role involves assessment, planning,
collaborating, coordinating and providing advice regarding the
management of patient's needs. In the specialist inpatient setting
nurses provide direct care; in the acute hospital setting they
provide a consultancy service; in the community setting nurses
offer continued support to patients through home visits, phone
call assessments and referral to other services, according to need.
The community based nurses also provide an out-of-hours
telephone support service.
3. Home health aide
Home health aides are responsible for taking care of patients who
are suffering from chronic illnesses or disabilities or are elderly
and need continuous care while living at home. Many states have
their own home health aide training programs; however, aspiring
home health aides can choose instead to complete a certificate
program in home health care.

4. Clerk
The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record
keeping, filing, staffing service counters, screening solicitors, and
other administrative tasks.
5. Social worker
palliative care social workers assist patients to be active
participants in their own care, to ask questions, to make decisions
and to exercise choice about what is important to them as their
priorities and needs for living change. They support and counsel
patients and families as they experience a range of emotionssuch as fear, anger, anxiety, sadness and hope-with honesty,
respect and without judgement.
Assistance provided can include specialist counselling/support in a
range of areas such as adjustment to illness; changes in lifestyle;
maintaining relationships with family and friends; managing
feelings of anxiety; depression, loneliness, reactions to loss,
setting goals and living well.
Assistance can also include:
Access to written information and resources;
Family mediation and support, helping families to manage
differences in needs, ideas and feelings;
Coordination and participation in case conferences, getting
everybody together to talk about people's needs, concerns and
wishes
6. Physiotherapist
Physiotherapists can contribute significantly to the maintenance
of physical function, independence and comfort for patients
receiving palliative care, and have an important role in
rehabilitation after surgery or illness.

Physiotherapists:
Assess patients to determine their level of physical functioning;
Show how to exercise to reduce pain and stiffness, maintain
strength, increase mobility and energy;
Assist with managing fatigue and the deterioration of exercise
tolerance and muscle strength in advanced illness;
Prescribe and provide equipment to improve mobility such as
wheelchairs, frames and walking sticks;
Teach carers and family the best ways to help a patient sit and
stand, or move, including the use of hoists where appropriate;
Assist with the management of breathlessness with breath control
techniques and aids;
Provide oedema management including bandaging, advice,
exercises and massage;
Assist with pain relief techniques such as positioning the body
appropriately, using hot and cold packs, and stimulating nerves.
7. Occupational therapist
Occupational Therapy promotes well being and quality of life
through occupation/activity. The primary goal of Occupational
Therapy in palliative care is to enable people to participate in the
activities of everyday life by:
Education and advice to patients and caregivers on adapting to
change, managing fatigue and conserving energy by making the
physical side of their daily activities easier. This includes activities
such as walking, showering, and getting into and out of bed and
chairs safely.
Arranging equipment hire or modifications to a patient's home for
a safer, more easily accessible environment;

Recommending suitable products to cater for individual pressure

care requirements;
Teaching carers and family the best ways to help patients sit
and stand or move; and
Advising patients on small aids to improve their independence in
household tasks and personal care, for example a device to help
them put on their socks, or wash their toes
8. Dietician
Have particular skills to assist patients to optimise nutritional plan
which focuses on the patient's needs and wishes. They are also
able to take into account the patient's current disease context,
treatment plans overall quality of life when developing nutritional
plans and education for the patient and family.
9. Chaplain
Provide sensitive spiritual support, sacramental ministries,
advance directive consultation and other services for patients
and their family members.
10. Volunteers
Play an important role in many palliative care services . they
receive no pay but may be offered expenses. they work in
reception, coffee rooms, library. appeals office, flower arranging,
day unit ,transport, charity shops but most units do not perform
hand-on role with patient. they work under the direction of
volunteer service manager a salaried member staff.
10. Family members
Can be considered "member" as they have an important role in
the patients overall care and their opinions should be included
when formulating a plan of management, then fully explained to
them.

11.Patient
May considered a member of the team (although they do not
participate in the team meetings) , as all treatments must be with
their consent, understanding and in accordance with wishes.