futility of care

[jerseyRN]

Went to a great symposium today where an extremely enlightened MD presented about the need for advance care planning for people with "eventually fatal chronic illness" - ESRD, CHF, Alzh, etc. - and how these discussions should start while the patient is still coming to the office and able to talk about his/her goals and values.

A great presentation!

Anyway, she also discussed futile care-- how chemo sometimes goes on til the last breath-- because some docs are so reluctant to have that "hard conversation." She tied it together with this joke:

Q: Why do coffins have nails?

A: To keep the oncologists from giving that one last treatment

The audience roared!

[aimeee, BSN, RN]

Sounds like a great presentation.

I wish they would stop talking about patients "failing" their chemo attempts too. It makes it sound like the person's fault somehow. I read it again and again in the histories...Patient failed gemzar. If they have to say there was a failure it should be the other way around. Gemzar failed to benefit the patient!

[doodlemom]

WOW! I wish that there were more of theses docs around!

[leslie :-D]

i have butted my head with one too many oncologists.

inevitably i often have a chat with the family members re: how the chemo is interfering w/pt's remaining quality of life. my heart breaks for the families. my temper spews at the involved oncologists. sheesh, just let it go already.

leslie