This issue might be subtitled "What will they think of next?" Getting high does not always require the purchase of illegal drugs, and all substances that alter sensorium, such as nutmeg, cannot be regulated. However, the emergency physician must remain aware of the latest fads of drug abuse, and should be able to recognize the symptoms they cause.
Palliative care isn't just for hospice patients it is also used to manage the symptoms of those with chronic or advanced illnesses.
Language and cultural beliefs can affect the accuracy of pain assessment tools regularly used by hospice staff members, says Hank Willner, MD, medical consultant for Hospice Foundation of America and hospice medical director and palliative care consultant for Capital Caring in Falls Church, VA. Interpretation of visual and numeric scales may differ according to culture, he explains.
