Palliative Pearls

January 2021 – “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”                                      Adapted...

December 2020 – Grief counselling is available to the community at large from Hospice of the Northwest. Any member of our community can use Hospice of the Northwest for grief support. We offer b...

November 2020 – When your computer is tired and behaving badly, turn it off and count to 10. Always the first question from the IT help desk:  “Did you try powering down?”  Can we ...

October 2020 – “There’s nothing more we can do . . .”  has no place in end of life care. Use language that offers care that is needed now:  Urgent and careful management of symptoms ...

August 2020 – Time limited trials of therapy are a powerful tool when the benefit/burden balance of treatment is uncertain. This approach has many benefits ·      ...

July 2020 – Deliver a one-two punch:  increase gut motility and stool moisture with scheduled meds. Constipation is predictable.  Think hospitalization, immobility, newly prescribed opioid...

June 2020 – Methadone…worth the trouble. Don’t write off methadone as a pain medication – it may be life changing for your palliative patients. A few reasons why: Methadone is the only lon...

May 2020 – Your frail patients are talking about whether they’ll survive COVID.  Schedule an appointment so they talk to YOU about it too. If your clinic volume is down, you can use this time...

April 2020 – Skilled facilities are seeing more COVID infection. Residents with DNR/DNI and comfort-focused goals need not be transported to the hospital.  Below, please find an order set, ...

March 2020 –Do you care for vulnerable elders, memory care patients, the complex chronically ill or nursing home residents? Tips for conversations about future care decisions during a pandemic: ...