title: Using complementary and alternative therapies to promote comfort at end of life.
abstract: Dying is a journey for all involved. We have been fortunate to work in a hospital with both an ICU and a palliative care/hospice unit. We have transferred patients for whom care was withdrawn and who were still alive on the next day to the palliative care unit and have found the transfer to work to maximize comfort in dying. For many patients and families who have developed relationships with the staff in their ICU, the combination of established relationships, traditional therapies, and CAT maximizes the comfort during the dying process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, State University of New York-Brockport, 350 New Campus Drive, Brockport, NY 14420-2914, USA. ZaraRN@aol.com
authors.forename: Zara R
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: Maureen E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Krenzer
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D005192:Family Health; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D009147:Music Therapy; D009732:Nursing Care; D026443:Spiritual Therapies; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods; D019124:Therapeutic Touch