This session will consider both the physical health & mental wellbeing when nursing cancer patients palliatively. Palliative care in cancer patients may take many forms, including monitoring of the primary illness; analgesia management; maintenance of optimal nutritional +/- hydration status; management of co-morbidities; assessment of ongoing therapies; lifestyle modifications, etc. It also encompasses caring for the patients non-medical needs, the caregiver-patient bond, as well as inevitably difficult conversations regarding patient care. Therefore RVNs are well-placed to surveil for, and provide, key aspects of palliative care in veterinary cancer therapy; as well as being the patient’s advocate, acting as key liaison between the veterinary care team(s), educating and communicating with caregivers, and working with them to monitor day-to-day quality of life and welfare.
- By the end of this session, attendees should understand:
- –The surrounding concepts, limitations and goals of palliative cancer care
- –Ways in which all aspects of veterinary nursing care may be applied to care of cancer patients undergoing palliative care
- –The important of treating the patient as a whole, giving equal consideration for patient's physical health & mental wellbeing
Presented at London Vet Show 2022
Gallery Suite 15-16
Please note this session is not RACE-approved but you can still earn a CPD certificate