At Inspire Hospice, the comfort of our patients is our number one priority. That’s why we focus on symptom management, enabling our patients to embrace life with the highest quality of care.
Knowing What To Look For
By prioritizing quality care with exceptional staff-to-patient ratios, our experienced care team can dedicate more time to each patient and monitor patients for any signs of pain. While some patients will communicate their pain levels, oftentimes, we’ll find patients feel that admitting pain makes them appear weak.
Our care team of nurses, physicians, certified nursing assistants, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers know what signs of pain and discomfort to look out for. This will include:
- Tightly closed eyes or rapid blinking
- Increase in patient’s systolic blood pressure
- Increased rate of breathing
- Muscles in the limbs are rigid
- Becoming withdrawn and quiet
- Guarding certain areas of the body when moving or turning over
- Becoming more aggressive or angry
- Pacing, fidgeting, and rocking
- Increased crying
- Teeth grinding
- Increased confusion and disorientation
- Moaning, sighing, calling, and asking for help
Assessing The Pain
Before beginning pain management, our physicians and nurses will assess the patient’s pain and develop individualized care plans tailored to their unique needs. Pain rating scales, such as the FLACC scale, the 0-10 Numeric Pain Rating Scale, and the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale, are often used in hospice.
Common Symptoms Managed
The most commonly managed symptoms experienced by patients in hospice care:
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Swelling
- Acute pain
- Wounds
Hospice Pain Medication
While hospice care does not provide curative treatments, the comfort of patients is the primary goal, and pain medications like opioids are often used to control moderate to severe pain. While opioids have gotten a bad reputation for being highly addictive, in a controlled setting like hospice care, they’re one of the best ways to ensure patients have the best quality of life.
With this in mind, our care team has medication protocols that protect how, when, and how these pain medications are used. This means our nurses and physicians regularly assess patients’ pain levels and ensure that the prescribed dosage is the correct amount for their needs.
Emotional and Spiritual Support
When managing symptoms, we find that emotional and spiritual support can go a long way when combined with medication. In fact, emotional pain can often go hand-in-hand with the physical and can increase the pain as anxiety levels rise.
By using a holistic approach to patient care, our care team can also make sure the emotional needs are met. This means using non-medical treatments like:
- Breathing exercises
- Relaxation techniques
- Compassionate counseling
- Heat or ice therapy
- Gentle massages
- Repositioning patient’s pillows or position
Pain Management With Inspire Hospice
At Inspire Hospice, we aim to provide the highest quality, personalized end-of-life care and ensure that our patients are always comfortable. Our dedicated team is committed to providing dignified and ethical care for our patients and their families. To learn more about how we can help you and your loved one, contact us at (404) 921-3341, where we embrace life.