Nonpharmacological Approaches to Pain, Anxiety, and Dyspnea: Expanding Your Bedside Toolbox (328)

Abstract

1.Summarize the strength of evidence for effectiveness of hypnosis, cognitive-behavior therapy, and meditation in managing three palliative care symptoms.2.Practice and demonstrate two non-pharmacological approaches to alleviation of anxiety, pain, and dyspnea.3.Discuss how to gain confidence to teach two non-pharmacological techniques to other members of their interdisciplinary team. Many palliative care patients experience severe symptoms including pain, anxiety, and dyspnea. Palliative care clinicians are well trained in using pharmacological methods in alleviating these symptoms, but evidence-based training in non-pharmacological methods is less available. Strong evidence exists for the effectiveness of hypnosis, cognitive-behavior therapy, and meditation in managing distress, but hospice and palliative care clinicians often feel unequipped to use these tools. During this session, participants will identify the parameters for matching non-pharmacological techniques to patient symptoms based on current evidence and practice. A palliative care physician, psychiatrist, and public health professional will demonstrate utilization of hypnosis, cognitive-behavior therapy, and meditation for symptoms of pain, anxiety, and dyspnea. Participants will work in small groups to develop these skills and gain confidence in using them to ease patient suffering in their own settings. Participants will also learn how to effectively teach these techniques to other members of their interdisciplinary team.