Addressing a Patient's Hope for a Miracle.
case_report · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 29030208.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.10.002 and PMC identifier 10182410.
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Abstract
Ill patients may make decisions to continue aggressive life-prolonging care based on hope for a miraculous recovery, and clinicians can find goals of care discussions with these patients extremely challenging. Thus, palliative care providers may be asked to help in these discussions. The concept of "miracle" can express a multitude of hopes, fears, and religious commitments. Effective, sensitive engagement requires the palliative care provider to attend to these variegated hopes, fears, and commitments. This case presents a typology of ways patients express hope for a miracle along with analysis of the motivations and beliefs underlying such hopes and suggestions for tailored responses by palliative care providers.
Medical subject headings
- Health Communication
- Health Personnel
- Hope
- Palliative Care