title: End-of-life issues in the acute and critically ill patient.
abstract: The challenges of end-of-life care require emergency physicians to utilize a multifaceted and dynamic skill set. Such skills include medical therapies to relieve pain and other symptoms near the end-of-life. Physicians must also demonstrate aptitude in comfort care, communication, cultural competency, and ethical principles. It is imperative that emergency physicians demonstrate a fundamental understanding of end-of-life issues in order to employ the versatile, multidisciplinary approach required to provide the highest quality end-of-life care for patients and their families.
authors.affiliation: University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio 43614, USA. eric.savory@utoledo.edu
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Savory
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Marco
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D003142:Communication; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003469:Culture; D017051:Hospice Care; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D059408:Pain Management; D029181:Spirituality; D017236:Suicide, Assisted; D013727:Terminal Care