Resources for End-of-life Care

December 29, 2004 - The January 2005 issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD) contains a study and editorial on improving end-of-life care for dialysis patients."The family perspective of ESRD deaths" - abstract from AJKD

"Improving end-of-life care for dialysis patients" - full-text editorial from AJKD. (link is no longer available)

May 11, 2004 - The latest issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine (AIM) has a full-text article on helping patients achieve a "good death"."Good and Bad Dying From the Perspective of Terminally Ill Men" - abstract of study results from AIM

March 15, 2004 - The most respected medical centers in the US differ substantially in the hospital resources, physician visits, and hospice care made available to patients during the last six months of their lives, new research indicates. Story from Reuters Health via Yahoo. (link is no longer available)

January 20, 2004 - Helping patients at the end of life is becoming a growing specialty. Palliative care is attracting many physicians who see it as a noble calling. Story from American Medical News.

January 7, 2004 - The current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) contains a study that evaluated the U.S. dying experience at home and in institutional settings. The study concludes that "many people dying in institutions have unmet needs for symptom amelioration, physician communication, emotional support, and being treated with respect. Family members of decedents who received care at home with hospice services were more likely to report a favorable dying experience."

"Family Perspectives on End-of-Life Care at the Last Place of Care" - abstract from JAMA

"Family members say dying patients need better end-of-life emotional and medical support" - summary from EurekAlert

"End-of-Life Care Inadequate" - article from WebMD (link is no longer available)


June 25, 2003 - "The lack of (nursing) knowledge regarding end-of-life issues is not anyone's fault, but is related to the idea that letting a patient die is a failure. The medical model teaches us that everything can be fixed and we as health care providers must fix what is wrong. The truth is that sometimes the best thing we can do for a patient is allow them to be comfortable and surrounded by what is important to them at life's end." Column from Kansas City Nursing News. (link is no longer available)

May 12, 2003 - Having a sense of spiritual well-being -- or an understanding of the meaning and purpose of life, regardless of religion -- appears to help terminally ill people avoid spending their last months of life in despair, according to a report published in the Lancet. Summary from Reuters/Yahoo (link is no longer available).

April 24, 2003 - This week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) contains an article on perspectives on care at the close of life."Practical Considerations in Dialysis Withdrawal" - abstract from JAMA

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Leigh,