Journal of palliative medicine
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The School of Medicine of Austral University incorporated palliative care as an elective in undergraduate medicine curriculum during 2010. ⋯ Our results show that palliative care education provides opportunities to improve attitudes not specific to this discipline: interprofessional collaboration, holistic care, patient-centered care, self-awareness, and humanism. We conclude that an exposure to palliative care improved student's perception about the complexities of dying patients and their care.
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Dexmedetomidine is a potent α2-adrenergic agonist U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for sedation. While its use as an analgesic has been described in the palliative medicine literature, its use for managing an acute neuropathic pain episode is less well known. ⋯ Among patients with acute neuropathic pain for whom additional opioids raises respiratory-related concerns, the use of dexmedetomidine should be considered as a viable treatment alternative.
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Live discharges from hospice can occur because patients decide to resume curative care, their condition improves, or hospices may inappropriately use live discharge to avoid costly hospitalizations. ⋯ Approximately 1 in 5 hospice patients are discharged alive with variation by geographic regions and hospice programs. Not-for-profit hospices and older hospices have lower rates of live discharge.
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Background: Interprofessional education is necessary to prepare students of the health professions for successful practice in today's health care environment. Because of its expertise in interdisciplinary practice and team-based care, palliative care should be leading the way in creating educational opportunities for students to learn the skills for team practice and provision of quality patient-centered care. Multiple barriers exist that can discourage those desiring to create and implement truly interdisciplinary curriculum. ⋯ Interdisciplinary palliative education can be successful if faculty teams are willing to confront challenges, accept feedback on multiple levels, and compromise while maintaining focus on desired learner outcomes.