Abstract

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual.

According to the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC, 2008), in developed and developing countries alike, people are living and dying with unrelieved pain, uncontrolled physical symptoms, unresolved psychosocial and spiritual problems, and in fear and loneliness which could be helped or prevented with palliative care. A number of professional, social and legislative factors could play a role such as lack of education among health professionals and the public, lack of palliative care services, and the current laws and regulations restricting or prohibiting the use of opioids.

The planning of any palliative care service requires a well-conducted needs assessment study which should address patients’ needs, priorities, models of care, the health services available in hospitals and communities, as well as the cadre of specialized health professionals. Research is crucial in helping the country adopt a palliative care model adapted to its needs and population characteristics. Similarly, all physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals working in palliative care will need training. Routine professional education does not adequately equip them to offer the best standard of palliative care. Palliative care workers often report that politicians, the press, fellow professionals, and even the public do not know much about palliative care. research and audits can help to define the current situation and the needs for future development of education in palliative care. Practice in palliative care is guided by ethical principles which at times present themselves as dilemmas when decisions are made regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation, withdrawal of alimentation and hydration, and truth telling and consideration of family values. The aim of Palliative Care is to allow patients to be pain-free and for their pain and other symptoms to be sufficiently controlled that they do not interfere with their ability to function or impact their quality of life. Research in this field is essential for the development of evidence-based practice guidelines which guide health care professionals in providing most effective care. Lebanese Medical Journal (2013); 61 (4): 204-209

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