State of the Science: Update in Hospice and Palliative Care (103)

Background: Rising rates of opioid abuse worldwide have led to the implementation of policies to curb opioid prescribing. It is unknown what impact these policies have on prescribing within the setting of hospice and palliative care. Objectives: To determine the current state of the science of opioid prescribing in hospice and palliative care in relation to the opioid epidemic and associated policies. Methods: A systematic integrative literature review was conducted using the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, ProQuest Central and SCOPUS. Results: Most of the existing literature examines physician perspectives related to opioid prescribing in primary care settings. Ample evidence exists that policies can and do affect rates of opioid prescribing in specialties outside of hospice and palliative care. There is limited evidence to suggest how these policies affect opioid prescribing in hospice and palliative care. However, the available evidence suggests that opioids are necessary in hospice and palliative care in order to manage pain. Conclusion: Further research is necessary to examine the possible negative impact of the opioid epidemic on opioid prescribing in hospice and palliative care.

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Final Acts: The End of Life: Hospice and Palliative Care

10.2190/fat ◽

2013 ◽

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

End Of Life ◽

Hospice And Palliative Care

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Volunteering in hospice and palliative care in the United Kingdom

10.1093/oso/9780198788270.003.0003 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Ros Scott

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

United Kingdom ◽

Care Services ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Strategic Direction ◽

Palliative Care Services ◽

History Of ◽

The Uk ◽

Hospice And Palliative Care ◽

Changing Role

This chapter explores the history of volunteers in the founding and development of United Kingdom (UK) hospice services. It considers the changing role and influences of volunteering on services at different stages of development. Evidence suggests that voluntary sector hospice and palliative care services are dependent on volunteers for the range and quality of services delivered. Within such services, volunteer trustees carry significant responsibility for the strategic direction of the organiszation. Others are engaged in diverse roles ranging from the direct support of patient and families to public education and fundraising. The scope of these different roles is explored before considering the range of management models and approaches to training. This chapter also considers the direct and indirect impact on volunteering of changing palliative care, societal, political, and legislative contexts. It concludes by exploring how and why the sector is changing in the UK and considering the growing autonomy of volunteers within the sector.

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