The Palliative Care "encounter"

Palliative care is an area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients. Palliative medicine is appropriate for patients in all disease stages, including those undergoing treatment for curable illnesses and those living with chronic diseases, as well as patients who are nearing the end of life.

     And we as standardized patients were tasked with presenting to the medical student an appropriate palliative care scenario.  And we did….with aplomb!  My role was the mother whose husband had a heart attack on the golf course and is now in the ICU on life-saving devices.  My daughter, one of three kids, is with me when the doctor comes in to explain to us just what has happened.  I am hysterical and disbelieving while my daughter is trying to care for me and help me make sense of it all.

     The following day my two sons join us.  One is accepting of the fact that the life-saving devices need to be pulled and let dad go which is what he says dad wanted.  The other son, who has been home infrequently, just thinks we should all pray and pray again to bring him back to life and argues that the hospital staff is not doing enough and perhaps we should transfer him.

     Much arguing and confusion ensue for the benefit of the med student who, again, needs to experience as he or she will experience when they hit the “real world.”

Definitely one of the favorite “encounters” of us SP’s, as the opportunity for improvisational acting abounds!! 

And for those of you who really read to the end…..put advanced directives in place today!!!!
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