Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #EOLC
Most recents (6)
Next up in our Honours Projects feature: Ellie McMahon is an intensive care nurse & has just completed her BNurs(Hons) project exploring nurses’ experiences of providing end-of-life care to Māori patients and their whānau in the intensive care context. [1/7] 
Why is this important? ICUs are technocentric environments designed to support patients after life-threatening illness or major surgery. In spite of these efforts, some patients die in ICU requiring culturally-responsive, end-of-life care. [2/7]
Ellie conducted semi-structured interviews with both Māori & non-Māori ICU nurses, asking about their experiences of #EoLC for #Māori in ICU & seeking barriers and facilitators to culturally-responsive care. #NursingResearch #ICUResearch [3/7]
Trigger warning: #EoLC Thread: so anticipatory drugs are a great thing. They are there, ready to be given, if the need arises at EoL. They help with pain, distress, nausea and a whole range of things we know might happen 1/n
2/n But they are only as good as the system where they are administered. If in the community then someone has to give them. So the Care Home ring the District nurses……
3/n The DNs then eventually arrive. Their role seems merely to administer said drugs. When I asked ‘Do you come cave to check on the person, that they are now comfortable?’ The answer was ‘No’
At a Court of Protection hearing today, before Mr Justice Keehan, I listened to doctors report on how they’d given ‘futile’ & ‘’burdensome’ treatment to a dying man over many weeks. It was like listening to a story of medical torture. #EOLC #NotSecretCourt
The patient, “KM”, in his 50s, was admitted to hospital on 19 Jan with breathlessness & chest pain after long haul flight. It was a pulmonary embolism. Clots reached his heart. He then had a cardiac arrest. Then tested positive for Covid. He has severe & irreversible lung damage.
He's been kept alive for the last 15 weeks with ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). A machine transports blood from the body to an artificial lung (oxygenator) that, like the human lungs, adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide.
Patients are my greatest teachers & recently I’ve had a patient unexpectedly become one of my biggest cheerleaders - a 🧵
Over the past few mths, I’ve been providing #PalliCare to a patient whose elderly body is ailing them while their mind remains extraordinary & vibrant. 1/
Over the past few mths, I’ve been providing #PalliCare to a patient whose elderly body is ailing them while their mind remains extraordinary & vibrant. 1/
During our visits at their home, I’ve learned that they immigrated to Canada bringing with them diverse life experiences, spending their adult lifetime in academia. They live alone, so upon realizing how big of a nerd I am, they have generously shared their passions & slivers 2/
of their vast knowledge & wisdom with me. Even assigning me homework! Each visit I leave inspired, wishing I had taken notes during these precious conversations. It is an incredible honour to share time with them caring for their body/mind/spirit. I always look forward to it. 3/
Throughout December I'm doing a #PalliativeCareAdvent; every day I am going to challenge #misconceptions about #PalliativeCare, #EndOfLife and living with a #LifeLimitingIllness. Some personal, some factual. Do join me!
#Hospice #EOLC #PallMedEd #HPM
lucy-watts.co.uk/palliative-car…
#Hospice #EOLC #PallMedEd #HPM
lucy-watts.co.uk/palliative-car…
Day 1
"#PalliativeCare is only for those who are imminently dying".
❌
Palliative care can help people throughout their illness, from point of diagnosis. It can help people live well, live longer and focus treatment/care around their wishes.
#PalliativeCareAdvent #Misconceptions
"#PalliativeCare is only for those who are imminently dying".
❌
Palliative care can help people throughout their illness, from point of diagnosis. It can help people live well, live longer and focus treatment/care around their wishes.
#PalliativeCareAdvent #Misconceptions
Day 2
"#PalliativeCare can only occur in the absence of life-prolonging interventions"
❌
It can be given during life-prolonging treatment or in the absence of it. It's about quality of life, symptom control, the person's wishes and preparing for the future. #PalliativeCareAdvent
"#PalliativeCare can only occur in the absence of life-prolonging interventions"
❌
It can be given during life-prolonging treatment or in the absence of it. It's about quality of life, symptom control, the person's wishes and preparing for the future. #PalliativeCareAdvent
Deathbeds. Some thoughts. A thread.
Most of us haven't seen somebody die in real life. We get our inner pictures from TV dramas, cinema screens, media stories. We've had more of those media stories than usual during Covid19. But we haven't been there for real.
1/n
Most of us haven't seen somebody die in real life. We get our inner pictures from TV dramas, cinema screens, media stories. We've had more of those media stories than usual during Covid19. But we haven't been there for real.
1/n
Worse: for some of us, our beloved person died and we weren't allowed to be there. We have pictures in our minds of how it might have been, but no way of knowing for sure.
2/
2/
Some of us work in health or social care. We're more likely to have been alongside dying people. But unless we recognise the process, then we may not understand what we are witnessing.
Some experienced workers aren't aware that there are similarities between most deaths.
3/
Some experienced workers aren't aware that there are similarities between most deaths.
3/
