February 02, 2007

A Comfortable End to Life

Physician inspired by hospice founder

CLINTON, Iowa - In his Clinton family medical practice, John O’Shea, M.D., had experienced the death of patients who didn’t make the comfortable end-of-life transition he thought was possible.

“The emotional, social and spiritual needs of dying patients were not being met by modern-day medicine,’’ Dr. O’Shea said. “There was so much more we could have been doing.’’

Many others once had his same misgivings. Dame Cicely Saunders influenced the formation of an entire specialty of health care emphasizing exactly what Dr. O’Shea was experiencing with his own patients. She established the standards for the modern practice of care for terminally ill patients and inspired hospice programs throughout the world to use the practices of the St. Christopher’s hospice she founded in Britain.

Dr. O’Shea was introduced to the concepts of hospice care through the writings of Saunders, a nurse, medical doctor and medical social worker.

“Fourteen years ago, I read a book about Cicely Saunders. It struck a cord in me. I could see what we should be doing for patients who are dying,’’ he explained.

Saunders’ writings made such an impression on Dr. O’Shea that he got involved as the medical director of hospice for Genesis VNA and Hospice in Clinton. He directs a comprehensive hospice care team that works with patients and their loved ones to make the death experience as compassionate and comfortable as possible.

“The team approach is very important in hospice. In addition to the physician, the team includes nurses, social workers, volunteers and chaplains,’’ Dr. O’Shea explained. “The idea is that you are trying to treat the whole patient and not only the patient, but those around him or her.”

Hospice can seem incompatible to the standard training of doctors and nurses. They are trained to cure patients. Hospice patients are, by definition, terminally ill. Hospice care focuses on providing comfort and quality of life.

“Hospice is much different than my regular practice, but there are different levels of healing than physical healing. There is emotional healing and spiritual healing. There is healing within a family as a family member reaches the end of life,’’ Dr. O’Shea said. “That is the healing we talk about in hospice care.’’

Two years ago Linda Kent, a Genesis hospice nurse in Clinton, experienced what hospice can provide. Her husband, Gary, 47, was diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer.

Within months of the diagnosis, he needed hospice care. She helped with the daily nursing care. Dr. O’Shea was also involved.

“Dr. O’Shea is wonderful. He was very attentive. He kept track of Gary’s condition and was genuinely involved in the process,’’ she explained. “At least once, Dr. O’Shea came to the house to check on Gary. It helps as a hospice nurse to go through this. You understand better what the process feels like, and you appreciate what families and patients go through.”

Hospice care is not only for the hospice patient. The dying process also impacts everyone around the patient. “That is why the team approach is so important,” Dr. O’Shea said. “We are also working with the family to help them through the experience.’’

Linda Kent’s husband was able to handle the day-to-day routine without assistance until his final days. Not all hospice patients are as fortunate.

Depending on the individual needs of the patient, hospice care in a hospice house may be an option. The new Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf, operated by Genesis VNA and Hospice, is an alternative to hospice care in a patient’s home or in a hospital.

“Our goal is to be able to meet the patients’ needs in their home if that is what they want,’’ Dr. O’Shea said. “For some patients, that might not be possible. They may not have family or friends who can spend time with them on a daily basis. For those patients, the hospice house is a wonderful alternative for the region.’’

For options about end-of-life care, call Genesis VNA and Hospice at (563) 242-7165 in the Clinton/DeWitt area or in the Quad Cities at (563) 421-5400.

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