Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Caring for Patients with Neurologic Illnesses

J Palliat Med. 2019 Feb;22(2):193-198. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2018.0617.

Abstract

Patients with neurologic illnesses are commonly encountered by palliative care (PC) clinicians though many clinicians feel uncomfortable caring for these patients. Understanding how to diagnose, treat, communicate with, and prognosticate for neurology patients will improve the confidence and competence of PC providers in the neurology setting. This article offers PC providers 10 useful tips that neurologists with PC training think all PC providers should know to improve care for patients with neurologic illness.

Keywords: Alzheimer's; Parkinson's disease; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); motor neuron diseases; neurodegenerative disease; palliative care.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing / standards*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nervous System Diseases / nursing*
  • Palliative Care / standards*
  • Practice Guidelines as Topic*