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Introduction to palliative care, terminal care and bereavement

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Carer comforting an elderly woman.
Lea Paterson/Science Photo Library.

In obstetrics and gynaecology, our main interaction with women with terminal disease is in gynaecological oncology. These are women who have either presented with late stage disease for which no active management is taken, or in women with relapsing/recurrent disease who have exhausted treatment options.

This section aims to provide a general understanding of the concepts of palliative care and a basic framework for initiating palliative care in women that you might encounter, including issues of dying, death and bereavement. It will provide an overview that is appropriate for a trainee in obstetrics and gynaecology in preparation for the MRCOG examination.

Learning objectives

When you have completed this tutorial you will be able to:

  • define what is meant by palliative care
  • be able to manage end of life care
  • recognise the physical and psychological sequelae of terminal cancer
  • understand the principles of effective symptom relief
  • understand the role of the palliative care team
  • initiate basic palliative care
  • recognise the needs of the dying woman and her relatives

Last updated: 14/04/2011 (Tutorial revised and updated by Dr Nick Wood and Dr Louise Forman)

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