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"The
Seven Agreements"
is a comprehensive overview of the hospice program. It is designed to
give physicians an in depth understanding of how the hospice team works
and what to expect when your patient enters hospice. If you are giving
care to an end-of-life patient that chooces not to use hospice
services, this book will give you a wealth of information about how you
can still support your patient and their family through the last days
of their life. Although not intended to be a "how-to" manual for
treating hospice patients, "The Seven
Agreements"
does include valuable suggestions on symptom management, available drug
therapies and compounding medications, palliative care emergencies,
understanding the unique needs of military veteran patients, managing
terminal pediatric patients, and dietary suggestions for different
symptoms. Every bit as important as the medical treatment information
is the guidance and support you can give to your patient and family at
end-of-life. "The Seven Agreements"
presents inciteful awareness of your patient and family's grief
process, how to provide spiritual support, end-of-life beliefs and
rituals of different religious systems, the difference between pain and
suffering, and how to give the "greatest gift" - the art of listening
from your heart.
Using the four basic learning
styles in presenting information, this learning module appeals to all
parts of the brain and makes information more accessible and easy
to retain. Each chapter of The Seven
Agreements is divided
into four learning modules;
"Just the Facts, Please..." covers the
factual information about the
topic,
"At the Heart of the Matter" explores emotional content,
"Putting it Into Practice" digs into the practical aspects of the
material and
"A Closer
Look" zeros in on more detailed content.
The
Seven Agreements materials cover (among many other subjects):
• symptom and pain management
• principles of communication with dying patients, families and fellow
team members
• spiritual care from a physician/nursing perspective
• principles of grief and loss
• patient and family teaching
• special information on suggested drugs and interventions for a
variety of
symptoms
• burnout prevention and good self care
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