I had a wonderful opportunity to attend a seminar on hospice care presented by the Hospice and Palliative Care Centers of the health care system where I work. It was wonderful to hear compassionate nurses share some of the special experiences they have had caring for their patients. Being able to offer and provide comfort to the dying while supporting the family takes a lot of dedication. A compassionate heart, an empathetic ear, and a soft hand to hold are precious gifts nurses can share with the patients who are entrusted in their care.

Having been a nurse myself for over 20 years, I had the opportunity to assist with the birth of a newborn baby and then hold the hand of a dying elderly patient–all within a 24 hour period. That was an experience I will never forget as the true life spectrum passed before my eyes.

One of the things that I found hard to hear was the fact so many people continue to suffer needlessly at the end of life. It just reinforced the fact that there is so much left unknown and misunderstood when it comes to the issues of pain and its management. Drugs continue to be prescribed in sub-therapeutic dosages and side effects add other discomforting symptoms on top of that. Myths and misunderstandings around the issues of addiction, physiological dependence and tolerance continue to form biased opinions and attitudes that prove to be barriers to effective treatment. It just reinforced my belief that healthcare providers across the multidisciplines could benefit greatly from more formal education in the areas of pain and its management.

I was so glad to meet a Pain Specialist RN who shared her expertise and insights with all of us. It is my hope that some of the healthcare professionals there would seriously consider becoming credentialled in Pain Management. It would enrich their practice immensely in whatever setting they choose to work.

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Hospice Volunteering
• Care at the End of Life

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