Breathlessness, a Moment in Time
Arun Sharma1 1Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District , Wollongong , NSW, Australia
Abstract
Have you ever experienced breathlessness before? Maybe after opting to take the stairs or chase the bus? Most of us would agree it is not a comfortable feeling. How would you feel if it was when you were preparing a simple meal, or getting up to go to the bathroom? What if this felt like a sprint to you and you became so breathless you could not even talk? This is a common story for many of our patients in the palliative care setting, especially those suffering from a chronic respiratory condition. Shortness of breath causes anxiety and stress which leads to deconditioning, social isolation and ultimately poorer health outcomes in this patient cohort. Medical management of breathlessness typically includes: bronchodilators; corticosteroid therapy; anti-anxiety medications and pain relief. These go a long way in helping patients manage their symptoms, improve their function and reduce the burden of disease. What happens when this is not enough? What happens in the moment you are feeling short of breath? What do you do to settle back down before the anxiety creeps in? In this short presentation we would like to share with you our breathlessness action plan. This has been devised collaboratively by our palliative care physiotherapists and nurse practitioners with feedback from consumers, staff specialists, psychologists and respiratory physiotherapists as a tool to empower patients to take control of their breathlessness in the moment it is happening.
Biography
Arun is the inpatient palliative care senior Physiotherapist at Port Kembla Hospital. Arun has been working in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Health Care district for 5 years and has a background in ICU, general medical wards, respiratory wards and the oncology/haematology wards where he developed an interest for working with palliative care patients. He has a passion for helping patients achieve their goals, improving their quality of life and sharing a story or two with them along the way.