Gastro-Intestinal Symptoms in Palliative Care Patients.

This review of the palliation of various gastro-intestinal (GI) symptoms encountered in cancer patients is by no means exhaustive. Frequent symptoms such as constipation, nausea and vomiting, bowel obstructions, ascites and bleeds will be discussed, focusing on their assessment and most importantly, how to control the associated symptoms. All of these symptoms and GI complications can significantly impact patients' quality of life (QOL) and should be treated as quickly and aggressively as possible.

Of dilemmas and tensions: a qualitative study of palliative care physicians' positions regarding voluntary active euthanasia in Quebec, Canada.

Objectives: In 2015, the Province of Quebec, Canada passed a law that allowed voluntary active euthanasia (VAE). Palliative care stakeholders in Canada have been largely opposed to euthanasia, yet there is little research about their views. The research question guiding this study was the following: How do palliative care physicians in Quebec position themselves regarding the practice of VAE in the context of the new provincial legislation?

Methods: We used interpretive description, an inductive methodology to answer research questions about clinical practice.

Accuracy and usefulness of the Palliative Prognostic Index in a community setting.

Purpose: In a community setting characterised by scarce inpatient palliative care resources, a precise prognosis could help determine which patients should be prioritised for end-of-life admission.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI) and to determine whether it is a helpful tool for nurses to administer as part of the admission protocol in the palliative care service of a community hospital.

Results: The PPI was a moderately accurate prognostic tool when assessing the frequency of 14-day overstay; 81% of patients died within 14 days of their expected prognosis.