1/Palliative Care Redeployment:
What I learned from 6 weeks working with our county hospital’s palliative care team during the COVID-19 initial surge in Indiana.
What I learned from 6 weeks working with our county hospital’s palliative care team during the COVID-19 initial surge in Indiana.
2/At the end of March, I stopped by our division offices to do some work. I overheard my colleagues in palliative care in the office as well.
Layered in their voices and expressed in their words was worry, stress, and concern for patients.
A call was put out for help.
Layered in their voices and expressed in their words was worry, stress, and concern for patients.
A call was put out for help.
3/I learned so much during my time with the palliative care team @EskenaziHealth. I thought I'd list some here.
1⃣A loved one who is sick is difficult. One who you can’t touch/visit/see – it is heartbreaking for families. It also makes “painting the clinical picture” difficult.
1⃣A loved one who is sick is difficult. One who you can’t touch/visit/see – it is heartbreaking for families. It also makes “painting the clinical picture” difficult.
4/
2⃣Goals of Care (GOC) discussions are hard. They are harder when we can’t see each others’ faces.
I can't imagine having gone through this pre-video conferencing!
But also, not all have access to this technology.
2⃣Goals of Care (GOC) discussions are hard. They are harder when we can’t see each others’ faces.
I can't imagine having gone through this pre-video conferencing!
But also, not all have access to this technology.
5/
3⃣Culturally-competent GOC discussions are difficult all the time. Again, the distance apart adds to this.
I am humbled by how much more I need to learn in this arena!
3⃣Culturally-competent GOC discussions are difficult all the time. Again, the distance apart adds to this.
I am humbled by how much more I need to learn in this arena!
6/
4⃣The way a primary team “preps” a patient for a palliative care team consult, should be just as conscientiously done as they might prep a patient for surgery.
Palliative care does NOT = End of life doctors.
They do SO MUCH MORE!
4⃣The way a primary team “preps” a patient for a palliative care team consult, should be just as conscientiously done as they might prep a patient for surgery.
Palliative care does NOT = End of life doctors.
They do SO MUCH MORE!
7/
5⃣We are all in this together.
I never, not once, felt alone when I was navigating difficult waters. I made mis-steps, but I had experienced physicians/NPs to debrief with, an organized city-wide palliative care meeting weekly, and a team behind me all the time.
5⃣We are all in this together.
I never, not once, felt alone when I was navigating difficult waters. I made mis-steps, but I had experienced physicians/NPs to debrief with, an organized city-wide palliative care meeting weekly, and a team behind me all the time.
8/
6⃣We are all adaptable.
I pride myself on adapting (#medpeds). Two weeks into March, I told myself daily, "I am adaptable" every time something changed.
Doing all palliative care, all day long was daunting. Halfway through my time, I felt more comfortable with my role.
6⃣We are all adaptable.
I pride myself on adapting (#medpeds). Two weeks into March, I told myself daily, "I am adaptable" every time something changed.
Doing all palliative care, all day long was daunting. Halfway through my time, I felt more comfortable with my role.
9/
7⃣Humility, always.
Not understanding the disease process/outcome, makes prognosticating so difficult! COVID is better understood now, but predicting who will do well and who won't...we don't all "know."
7⃣Humility, always.
Not understanding the disease process/outcome, makes prognosticating so difficult! COVID is better understood now, but predicting who will do well and who won't...we don't all "know."
Fin/ There is more than I could put here. I could talk for HOURS about my experience.
But some wanted to know my thoughts, so hopefully this was helpful.
But some wanted to know my thoughts, so hopefully this was helpful.
Resources/
@vitaltalk
vitaltalk.org/guides/covid-1…
@POPCoRNetwork popcornetwork.org/highyield-onep…
Cultural competence in communication
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
@vitaltalk
vitaltalk.org/guides/covid-1…
@POPCoRNetwork popcornetwork.org/highyield-onep…
Cultural competence in communication
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
Resources Request/
Please add additional resources you might use for EOL/GOC discussions! I would be happy to learn more.
Please add additional resources you might use for EOL/GOC discussions! I would be happy to learn more.
Thanks!/
@FettigLyle for bringing me on, teaching me patiently, and listening during times I was in muddy waters
@IUPCCM for embracing me as a co-team member in my new role
@EskenaziHealth & the Hosp Div for being flexible with my ⏰
@IUMedSchool for the community you build
@FettigLyle for bringing me on, teaching me patiently, and listening during times I was in muddy waters
@IUPCCM for embracing me as a co-team member in my new role
@EskenaziHealth & the Hosp Div for being flexible with my ⏰
@IUMedSchool for the community you build
