Date of Presentation
5-4-2023 12:00 AM
College
School of Osteopathic Medicine
Poster Abstract
The Emergency Department is at times the only place patients can turn to for symptom relief. In an aging population, this means that more patients are presenting to the ED towards the end of life (EOL). Emergency medicine (EM) prides itself as a specialty that handles disease-directed treatment for a variety of acute conditions. In contrast, palliative care (PC) is focused on improving the quality of life (QOL). It has become essential for EM physicians to care for patients who are not seeking life-sustaining measures, but instead quality of life interventions. Patients with serious illness, even hospice patients, present to the ED at increasing numbers for symptom management. Unfortunately, there is a lack of training and guidelines for EM physicians in symptom management of EOL care. The development of a clear, concise protocol for the most common acute symptoms at the EOL can provide a framework for ED providers to adequately address the needs of patients at the EOL.
Keywords
Signs and Symptoms, Patient Care, Palliative Care, Emergency Departments, Quality of Life
Disciplines
Emergency Medicine | Health and Medical Administration | Medical Education | Medicine and Health Sciences | Other Public Health | Pain Management | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms
Document Type
Poster
Included in
Emergency Medicine Commons, Health and Medical Administration Commons, Medical Education Commons, Other Public Health Commons, Pain Management Commons, Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Commons
End of Life Symptom Management in the Emergency Department
The Emergency Department is at times the only place patients can turn to for symptom relief. In an aging population, this means that more patients are presenting to the ED towards the end of life (EOL). Emergency medicine (EM) prides itself as a specialty that handles disease-directed treatment for a variety of acute conditions. In contrast, palliative care (PC) is focused on improving the quality of life (QOL). It has become essential for EM physicians to care for patients who are not seeking life-sustaining measures, but instead quality of life interventions. Patients with serious illness, even hospice patients, present to the ED at increasing numbers for symptom management. Unfortunately, there is a lack of training and guidelines for EM physicians in symptom management of EOL care. The development of a clear, concise protocol for the most common acute symptoms at the EOL can provide a framework for ED providers to adequately address the needs of patients at the EOL.