Paliatívna medicína a liečba bolesti 1-2e/2018

Multidisciplinary team in palliative care at the haemato-oncology department – case study

Incurable advanced or final disease, dying and mourning is a very challenging life situation and a wide range of difficulties for the patient and his family. Solutions of pain relief of physical, psychological, social and spiritual character, maintaining the highest quality of life for the patient and a providing of an effective support to the family require a comprehensive care. Therefore, the palliative care is provided by a multidisciplinary team whose members – doctors, nurses, a social worker, a psychologist (psychotherapist) and a hospital chaplain – work closely together. The work of this specialized team at the haemato-oncology department (the department where the patient has been treated) presented in this paper has made it possible to ensure the continuity of care for the patient and his family, to enhance the coordination and the quality of palliative care provided; at the same time, it stimulated an individual approach to the patient and his/ her family, more accurate identification and better saturation of their real needs. Then just the members of the multidisciplinary team competent in this area of difficulties partake in this work, which contributed to the effective management of its potential. A special focus is devoted to a connecting of a hospital chaplain, his interactions and co-operations with other members of the multidisciplinary team in a care about a patient and his family. The hospital chaplain is becoming an integral part of the staff of Czech hospital.

Keywords: multidisciplinary team, palliative care, patient, family, case study