Palliative care is an approach to improving the quality of life and alleviating the suffering of patients and their families who are faced with the problems associated with a life-threatening illness. The aim of palliative care, as mentioned above, is to improve the quality of life and relieve the often multiple symptoms, both physical and psychological, as far as possible. After improvement or stabilisation, the aim is to discharge the patient, either home or to an appropriate facility.
If patients are able to plan and use their time independently, e.g. to spend a few more pleasant weeks and months and to cope with any problems that may arise, this makes a positive contribution. Precisely because their own future has become short, their time should not be planned by others.
In order to make this quality of life possible, our unit is staffed by an interdisciplinary team of qualified nurses, physicians, chaplains, physiotherapists, psychologists/psychotherapists, dieticians and social workers who are in contact with the outside world.
Therapy and care are not intended to be curative. They are not measured by whether they delay death, but by the quality of life they give the patient. Every measure is assessed for its necessity in order not to impose unnecessary burdens on the patient.
The focus is on the right to a peaceful, symptom-relieved and dignified life and death.
Under the direction of Vesna Nikolic, MAS, BSc, DGKP, patients on the palliative care unit are cared for by highly qualified health and nursing professionals (DGKP). The aim of palliative care is to provide intensive and personalised care. Individual wishes are fulfilled as far as possible by the nursing team. Our nursing team is also an important factor in the interdisciplinary cooperation on the Palliative Care Unit, for the benefit of the patients we care for.