Palliative Care Program
To Request Palliative Care
Your physician can make a request to consult a Palliative Care specialist. One of our specialists will visit you within 24 hours of a request. After the visit, our program will work with your primary doctor to make suggestions for your care. A Palliative Care specialist will visit you daily until your discharge from the hospital.
A Palliative Care consult may be requested 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also call for more information about the Palliative Care Program.
Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Melissa Sifford, RN, OCN
Phone: 423-433-6209
Pager: 423-854-0317
weekends and after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays 1-888-926-7047
|
“Palliate” means to ease, and the focus of palliative care is to ease the suffering that results from illness. Palliative care provides treatment for your symptoms, even when the underlying disease cannot be cured. The main goals are to relieve your pain and discomfort and to reduce your family’s stress. Palliative care also provides information to help you live with serious physical illness. It considers emotional, social and spiritual needs as well. During your illness, palliative care can help you and your family achieve a better quality of life.
Symptom management of initial consults may include:
- Pain control
- Dementia/agitation
- Social issues
- End-of-life issues
- Shortness of breath
- Nausea/vomiting
- And others regardless of the cause
Our Palliative Services
Cooperative Treatments - The specialists in our Palliative Care Program collaborate with your doctor to recommend treatment for you. A wide range of medical treatment is available for symptoms such as pain, nausea, shortness of breath and other distressing symptoms. In addition, the Palliative Care Program can recommend alternative forms of treatment, such as therapeutic music.
The specialists in our Palliative Care Program collaborate with your doctor to recommend treatment for you. A wide range of medical treatment is available for symptoms such as pain, nausea, shortness of breath and other distressing symptoms. In addition, the Palliative Care Program can recommend alternative forms of treatment, such as therapeutic music.
Supportive Care - Our Palliative Care Program can help you decide on personal treatment goals and choose among the treatment options. We can help you plan for your discharge from the hospital and for palliative care after you leave. The program offers counseling for psychological and spiritual concerns, as well as bereavement support for families.
Our Palliative Care Program can help you decide on personal treatment goals and choose among the treatment options. We can help you plan for your discharge from the hospital and for palliative care after you leave. The program offers counseling for psychological and spiritual concerns, as well as bereavement support for families.
Medical Decision-Making - When you live with a serious illness, you and your family may face some hard choices. You may feel the need for specialized assistance to consider the options presented to you. Experts are available through the Palliative Care Program to help you and your family make difficult decisions about end-of-life and treatment issues.
When you live with a serious illness, you and your family may face some hard choices. You may feel the need for specialized assistance to consider the options presented to you. Experts are available through the Palliative Care Program to help you and your family make difficult decisions about end-of-life and treatment issues.
Our Palliative Care Specialists
System Educator/Coordinator/Pain Resource Nurse - This nurse is certified in oncology and pain management, provides staff education and serves as a resource for education, pain management and quality-of-life concerns.
This nurse is certified in oncology and pain management, provides staff education and serves as a resource for education, pain management and quality-of-life concerns.
Chaplain Resident and Counselor - The Chaplain will assess and support the spiritual and emotional needs of patients and their families. Specific services provided to patients include helping patients complete advance directives, individual counseling, family counseling, spiritual prayer support, grief counseling and bereavement counseling. The therapeutic techniques used include acceptance therapy, choice therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation therapy, guided imagery and pastoral counseling.
The Chaplain will assess and support the spiritual and emotional needs of patients and their families. Specific services provided to patients include helping patients complete advance directives, individual counseling, family counseling, spiritual prayer support, grief counseling and bereavement counseling. The therapeutic techniques used include acceptance therapy, choice therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation therapy, guided imagery and pastoral counseling.
Behavioral Health Professional - Behavioral Health seeks to assist the patient and family in healing the mind and spirit. Emphasis is placed on identifying and developing healthy coping skills that can be utilized in times of need. Maintaining a sense of balance is key to health and wellbeing. Behavioral Health professionals evaluate and assess the situation and help patients and their families process emotions surrounding the situation. Assistance is also available for referral support if the need is identified.
Behavioral Health seeks to assist the patient and family in healing the mind and spirit. Emphasis is placed on identifying and developing healthy coping skills that can be utilized in times of need. Maintaining a sense of balance is key to health and wellbeing. Behavioral Health professionals evaluate and assess the situation and help patients and their families process emotions surrounding the situation. Assistance is also available for referral support if the need is identified.
Social Worker - The Social Worker will assist patients and their families with appropriate community resources and referrals:
The Social Worker will assist patients and their families with appropriate community resources and referrals:
- Coordinates team efforts with appropriate hospital departments to assist with patients’ needs for discharge and follow-up
- Assists with family meetings as needed for patients referred to the Palliative Care Team.
Patient Resource Management Department Representative - This Team Member will be the representative for the Palliative Care Team to the Patient Resource Management Department (Social Workers, Discharge Planners, Case Managers) and will communicate any concerns, developments, and/or issues that arise with that department.
This Team Member will be the representative for the Palliative Care Team to the Patient Resource Management Department (Social Workers, Discharge Planners, Case Managers) and will communicate any concerns, developments, and/or issues that arise with that department.
Inpatient Nursing Services - The Inpatient Nursing Services Representative will coordinate activities between the Palliative Care Team and Team Members providing direct patient care throughout the hospital. Activities include coordinating education about Palliative Care Services and helping identify patients appropriate for Palliative Care Team referrals. This will enable the nurse to recommend consultation based on the assessment and individualized plan of care for the patient. The nurse providing direct patient care is in a unique position to understand a great deal about the overall condition of the patient.
The Inpatient Nursing Services Representative will coordinate activities between the Palliative Care Team and Team Members providing direct patient care throughout the hospital. Activities include coordinating education about Palliative Care Services and helping identify patients appropriate for Palliative Care Team referrals. This will enable the nurse to recommend consultation based on the assessment and individualized plan of care for the patient. The nurse providing direct patient care is in a unique position to understand a great deal about the overall condition of the patient.
Nutritionist - The Nutritionist focuses on solving problems related to eating, artificial nutrition and hydration (tube feeding), nausea / vomiting and bowels/elimination.
The Inpatient Nursing Services Representative will coordinate activities between the Palliative Care Team and Team Members providing direct patient care throughout the hospital. Activities include coordinating education about Palliative Care Services and helping identify patients appropriate for Palliative Care Team referrals. This will enable the nurse to recommend consultation based on the assessment and individualized plan of care for the patient. The nurse providing direct patient care is in a unique position to understand a great deal about the overall condition of the patient. The Nutritionist focuses on solving problems related to eating, artificial nutrition and hydration (tube feeding), nausea / vomiting and bowels/elimination.
Physician - The Physician provides medical knowledge and skill to relieve physical symptoms and suffering.
The Physician provides medical knowledge and skill to relieve physical symptoms and suffering.
Nurse - The Nurse acts as a triage for referrals to involve the appropriate members of the team in the care of the patient as well as provide expertise in managing nursing-related issues.
East Tennessee State University
Mountain States Health Alliance
Palliative Care Program
The Nurse acts as a triage for referrals to involve the appropriate members of the team in the care of the patient as well as provide expertise in managing nursing-related issues. |