Considerations during Palliative Care

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

 Desires regarding resuscitation should be determined right away and agreed upon with the
patient/family members.

 These decisions may include:

o Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders:

 CPR may be harmful for terminally ill patients (complications of resuscitation).

 All nursing and allied-health staff must be aware of the indication to “not
resuscitate” (e.g., use a color-coding system).

o Discontinuing/turning off implantable devices (e.g., pacemakers, defibrillators,

cardioverters) in terminal phases of illness

Artificial nutrition and hydration

 Terminally ill patients will physiologically reduce their caloric intake, and families must be
adequately prepared.

 Nutritional support may be withdrawn completely at the dying phase according to patient wishes. 

 Inadequate hydration may quicken the patient’s death → should be tailored to the individual case

Considerations during Palliative Care

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

 Desires regarding resuscitation should be determined right away and agreed upon with the
patient/family members.

 These decisions may include:

o Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders:

 CPR may be harmful for terminally ill patients (complications of resuscitation).

 All nursing and allied-health staff must be aware of the indication to “not
resuscitate” (e.g., use a color-coding system).

o Discontinuing/turning off implantable devices (e.g., pacemakers, defibrillators,

cardioverters) in terminal phases of illness
Artificial nutrition and hydration
 Terminally ill patients will physiologically reduce their caloric intake, and families must be
adequately prepared.

 Nutritional support may be withdrawn completely at the dying phase according to patient wishes. 

 Inadequate hydration may quicken the patient’s death → should be tailored to the individual case

Considerations during Palliative Care

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

 Desires regarding resuscitation should be determined right away and agreed upon with the
patient/family members.

 These decisions may include:

o Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders:

 CPR may be harmful for terminally ill patients (complications of resuscitation).

 All nursing and allied-health staff must be aware of the indication to “not
resuscitate” (e.g., use a color-coding system).

o Discontinuing/turning off implantable devices (e.g., pacemakers, defibrillators,

cardioverters) in terminal phases of illness

Artificial nutrition and hydration

 Terminally ill patients will physiologically reduce their caloric intake, and families must be
adequately prepared.

 Nutritional support may be withdrawn completely at the dying phase according to patient wishes. 

 Inadequate hydration may quicken the patient’s death → should be tailored to the individual case

Considerations during Palliative Care

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

 Desires regarding resuscitation should be determined right away and agreed upon with the
patient/family members.
  These decisions may include:

o Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders:

 CPR may be harmful for terminally ill patients (complications of resuscitation).

 All nursing and allied-health staff must be aware of the indication to “not
resuscitate” (e.g., use a color-coding system).

o Discontinuing/turning off implantable devices (e.g., pacemakers, defibrillators,

cardioverters) in terminal phases of illness

Artificial nutrition and hydration

 Terminally ill patients will physiologically reduce their caloric intake, and families must be
adequately prepared.

 Nutritional support may be withdrawn completely at the dying phase according to patient wishes. 

 Inadequate hydration may quicken the patient’s death → should be tailored to the individual case
Considerations during Palliative Care

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

 Desires regarding resuscitation should be determined right away and agreed upon with the
patient/family members.

 These decisions may include:

o Do not resuscitate (DNR) orders:

 CPR may be harmful for terminally ill patients (complications of resuscitation).

 All nursing and allied-health staff must be aware of the indication to “not
resuscitate” (e.g., use a color-coding system).

o Discontinuing/turning off implantable devices (e.g., pacemakers, defibrillators,

cardioverters) in terminal phases of illness

Artificial nutrition and hydration

 Terminally ill patients will physiologically reduce their caloric intake, and families must be
adequately prepared.

 Nutritional support may be withdrawn completely at the dying phase according to patient wishes. 

 Inadequate hydration may quicken the patient’s death → should be tailored to the individual case