Palliative Care for Cardiac Patients

Difficulties in predicting illness trajectory of cardiac patients increase the complexity of end-of-life care. At MHI, nurses, physicians, patients and their family expressed the need for an integrated palliative care approach according to the Quebec policy on palliative care. Specific aims of this approach are:

To integrate end-of-life notions earlier in the course of disease
To increase humanisation of end-of-life care
To support and empower nurses and clinicians with the delivery of palliative care
To develop links with community resources and external partners

The program started with the help of a Master's degree nursing student and a feasibility committee. A multidisciplinary consulting team was created and meets on a weekly basis. As members of the team, the nurse practitioner and a nurse clinician specialist visit the patients daily to adjust the therapeutic and care plan, to accompany the patient and his family and give support to the clinicians involved in the patient's care. This palliative care approach contributes to the quality of care and to patients and clinicians satisfaction.

Palliative care poster (only in french)