In April of this year I did a webinar for Wellsky on pain at end of life. Pain management at end of life requires a different approach than pain management for someone who is going to get better. Not enough people, healthcare professionals included, understand this.
After the webinar, reviewing the response and the resulting questions I realized how very important this information is. Everyone needs to know what we had just spent an hour discussing, not just healthcare professionals but families faced with a loved one on hospice or in the hospital dealing with pain. I took my notes from the webinar and wrote a new booklet, Pain at End of Life.
In todays culture with the opioid crisis running rampant, fear of narcotic use is everywhere. That fear hinders our ability to provide appropriate comfort management and is leading to misconceptions about how hospice takes care of their patients. I hear way too often that “Hospice killed my mother by overdosing her with morphine”. Knowledge reduces fear and knowledge is very much needed when it comes to addressing pain at end of life.
I have learned over the years that talking with our families, teaching them about end of life care, medications, and pain management requires repetition. Repeat, repeat, repeat what we want them to know, understand and remember. THEN leaving written materials behind to be read and shared with others reinforces our teaching. The written word is the best way to insure our teachings are understood.
Using fifth grade level, large print, non medical terminology, Pain at End of Life addresses:
* pain as it relates to the dying process
* fear of overdosing and addiction
* standardized dosages
* around the clock administration
* laxatives
* uses of morphine
* sedation as it relates to dying
* supplemental therapies
Something More... about PAIN AT END OF LIFE
I am so excited to offer this educational booklet, I think it will make a difference. You may purchase it on my website: www.bkbooks.com
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