ABSTRACT

Hospice care and palliative care are delivered by interdisciplinary teams. This chapter uses the term palliative care to mean both hospice and palliative care. If the patient needs hospitalization for respite or symptom management, the nurses arrange for transportation and admission, prepare a transfer summary, and give a report to the facility. The primary role of the medical director is to oversee the medical care of all palliative care patients and the palliative care staff's provision of clinical care. Home health aides play a critical role in palliative care. The aide is especially valued by the patient's family. Of all the disciplines in palliative care, aides provide probably the most tangible assistance. It is the aide's job to provide personal care to the patient. Palliative care clergy, of course, mainly provide counseling around the spiritual aspects of facing death. Sometimes other team members are also called on to provide spiritual support.