What mistakes do physicians make regarding pain management and end-of-life care?
Believing that opiates are just for the end of life. You can provide morphine and other opiates very effectively without hastening someone’s death. Even for people with a year or two left to live, it is not an option to not treat their pain. Providing good symptom relief doesn’t make people addicts. When pain is managed appropriately, patients can still go about the business of living. Should physicians consider a patient’s cultural background when developing a palliative care plan? Absolutely. In the Hmong culture, for example, you may not be permitted to use the word “dying” because that may be perceived as actually bringing on the death. So we might ask the question, “If you were to be in your 110th year, how would you want to be treated?” Every culture has its own beliefs and customs around death and dying. Although none of us can hope to be experts in each culture, it is necessary to acknowledge and respect differences and adjust our conversations and care plans accordingly. The g
