Palliative Medicine and Hospice Care for Physician Associates Specialty Review

Palliative Medicine and Hospice Care for Physician Associates Specialty Review is a comprehensive review and guide for PAs who wish to study and practice for the Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in Palliative Medicine and Hospice Care. It features 215 questions with multiple-choice answers across 11 chapters that are organized into three sections: Essential Aspects of Serious Illness Patient Care, Managing Suffering and Distress, and Care Transitions, Including End-of-Life. The fourth and last section, "Practice Essentials," contains two unique chapters on Hospice Essentials and Communication Essentials. These two chapters reinforce the two most fundamental facts of the PA profession: that PAs are trained in the fundamental skills of compassionate and attentive listening, and that they are lifelong learners in clinical medicine. Both chapters address topics that are not part of the blueprint for the CAQ but are nonetheless essential to the professional practice of a PA who is employed by hospice or interacts with any part of hospice in the world of palliative medicine.

Each item featured in the book contains a case study in the question stem, followed by a discussion of the multiple choices that addresses why one option is correct while the others are not. This rich clinical material can enhance the knowledge and understanding of not just PAs training for the CAQ, but any physician or allied health professional involved in palliative medicine and hospice.

Nadya Dimitrov, DPM, PA-C, DFAAPA, is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Physician Assistant Education, Stony Brook University

Rebekah Halpern, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Fetal and Neonatal Institute, Steven and Alexandra Cohen Newborn and Infant Critical Care Unit

Charles F. von Gunten, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, The Elizabeth Hospice; Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Diego

Martha L. Twaddle, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, HMDC, The Waud Family Medical Director, Palliative Medicine & Supportive Care, Northwestern Medicine - North Region, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine

Richard J. Ackermann, MD, Palliative Medicine Physician, Atrium Health, Navicent Medical Center

Foreword
Contributors

Section 1: Essential Aspects of Serious Illness Patient Care

Chapter 1: Interdisciplinary Teamwork, Quality, and Professionalism
Chapter 2: Ethical and Legal Aspects of Care
Chapter 3: Advance Care Planning

Section 2: Managing Suffering and Distress

Chapter 4: Natural History of Serious and Complex Illness
Chapter 5: Assessment and Management of Pain
Chapter 6: Management of Non-Pain Symptoms
Chapter 7: Management of Palliative Care Emergencies and Refractory Symptoms
Chapter 8: Additional Management Strategies
Chapter 9: Medication Management

Section 3: Care Transitions Including End of Life

Chapter 10: Death and the Death Event
Chapter 11: Grief, Loss, and Bereavement

Section 4: Practice Essentials

Chapter 12: Hospice Essentials
Chapter 13: Communication Essentials