Palliative Care
Point of View :
HOSPICE CARE IN THE PHILIPPINE SETTING
When you meet a nurse, the last thing that comes to your mind regarding his or her specialization would be hospice nursing. It is no surprise why only a few have fully understood this new aspect of health care delivery.
Hospice nursing is a specialized degree of nursing. The duty of hospice nurses covers a lot of responsibilities; from assessing the elderly’s condition, observing the health but still working altogether with the physician and other health care members. The idea that the patient is already terminally ill makes the responsibility greater than it already is. Most often, the medications given are only for palliative support, to minimize pain, rather the treatment of the disease itself. Recovery is the least of the priorities.
The greatest challenge for a hospice nurse doesn’t belong to the medical aspect of care of the elderly; but rather on the emotional and caring side of nursing. Every day, hospice nurses take care of dying patients. It requires more than a talent in caring; but the traits that coming along with it as well. They are the second family. They are the third hand and the third heart. Hospice nurses are like private duty nurses but with more patience and grander temperament. To some, they may view the job as taking care of people who will eventually die; however, these nurses differ. They view these people as living; with care given, as if they are the immediate family.
Nationally, hospice care in the Philippines is still relatively new. It started on 2003 when the president of the International Hospice Institute in Washington D.C., Dr. Josephine Magno, a Filipino, introduced the new aspect of care to the country. As of 2007, there are 23 institutions and 520 members of service providers. These institutions for the elderly are fully supported by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Council of the Philippines Inc. (Hospice Philippines). The purpose of building this new
HOSPICE CARE IN THE PHILIPPINE SETTING
When you meet a nurse, the last thing that comes to your mind regarding his or her specialization would be hospice nursing. It is no surprise why only a few have fully understood this new aspect of health care delivery.
Hospice nursing is a specialized degree of nursing. The duty of hospice nurses covers a lot of responsibilities; from assessing the elderly’s condition, observing the health but still working altogether with the physician and other health care members. The idea that the patient is already terminally ill makes the responsibility greater than it already is. Most often, the medications given are only for palliative support, to minimize pain, rather the treatment of the disease itself. Recovery is the least of the priorities.
The greatest challenge for a hospice nurse doesn’t belong to the medical aspect of care of the elderly; but rather on the emotional and caring side of nursing. Every day, hospice nurses take care of dying patients. It requires more than a talent in caring; but the traits that coming along with it as well. They are the second family. They are the third hand and the third heart. Hospice nurses are like private duty nurses but with more patience and grander temperament. To some, they may view the job as taking care of people who will eventually die; however, these nurses differ. They view these people as living; with care given, as if they are the immediate family.
Nationally, hospice care in the Philippines is still relatively new. It started on 2003 when the president of the International Hospice Institute in Washington D.C., Dr. Josephine Magno, a Filipino, introduced the new aspect of care to the country. As of 2007, there are 23 institutions and 520 members of service providers. These institutions for the elderly are fully supported by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Council of the Philippines Inc. (Hospice Philippines). The purpose of building this new