NHPCO NewsLine Spring 2022 - 9

Transforming the
Experiences of Staff and
Volunteers
Patient-and-family values and
life-closure goals should drive care
and services. They define what is
important at this time in the patient's
and family's life and become the focus
and foundation for a patient/family
Experience Model. However, it is
oftentimes a challenge to transform
a professional's approach to care
since the drivers of a traditional
disease-focused mode differ from the
drivers of the Experience Model.
When we start by understanding the
inter-dimensional experience
described above, our relationship
with the patient and family is
directed by their defined end-of-life
goals and values instead of a more
traditional disease-focused model
directed by healthcare goals alone.
Table 1 illustrates the differences
between the Experience Model and
disease-focused models.
In the more traditional disease-focused
model, the process begins with
identifying disease and symptoms.
Then, based on the discipline's area of
expertise (e.g., nurse, physician, social
worker), goals are developed to help
reverse or minimize the disease
process. Care is usually directed by
what the professionals believe is
important and needed. Outcomes are
based on meeting the professional's
goals of care.
The Experience Model begins with a
dialog with the patient and family
during which they begin to tell their
life stories. Through ongoing
discussions, we discern what is
important to them at this time in
their lives, based on their unique
values and life experiences. We take their lead and our interdisciplinary
collaboration and service are directed by what the patient and family wish this
experience to be and on what they define as their end-of-life goals.
Table 1
Disease-Focused Model
Patient Presents with Symptoms of
Disease
Experience (Palliative) Model
Patient and Family are Affected
by a Life-limited Condition that
Cannot be Reversed
Facilitate a dialog to help the patient
and family define their end-of-life
values, goals, and life-closure wishes.
These become the overriding goals of
the patient and family care plan to
direct our services.
Focus on Curing or Fixing the
Problems.
Determine What is Helping or
Hindering the Patient and Family
from Reaching their End-of-Life
Goads and Wishes
Assess from the perspective of how
symptoms and disease process
should be different.
Assess from the perspective of
what is helping the patient and
family from reaching their goals
with regard to pain, family
dynamics, spiritual issues, and
caregiving support.
Plan and define goals of medical
care for patient based on what
care providers feel is best.
Plan how the interdisciplinary team
can support the patient and family
in reaching their goals and, in so
doing, reduce suffering and
maximize potential toward a
self-determined life closure.
Provide interventions as outlined
on the plan of care to restore or
reverse medical condition
Help patient and family to
minimize or eliminate those things
that are hindering them from
reaching their goals. Create
opportunity for transformational
experiences of growth.
Evaluate the effectiveness of
disciplines' care plan based on
medical goals.
Evaluate effectiveness based on
the patient and family's experience
of what is important to them at
this time. To what degree have we
helped them reach their goals?
Newsline / Spring 2022
9
NHPCO NewsLine Spring 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine Spring 2022
