Symptom management, done with confidence.
Evidence-based hospice symptom management for the nine symptoms hospice clinicians manage most often. Each guide gives you the WHO-ladder or mechanism-based framework, first-line pharmacology with dosing, non-pharmacological options, and clear escalation criteria — all grounded in Palliative Care Fast Facts, NCP guidelines, and current formulary practice.
The full curriculum, in the open.
Pain
Pain is the most reported symptom in hospice — and the most modifiable.
Learn moreDyspnea
Dyspnea is the sensation of uncomfortable breathing.
Learn moreNausea and vomiting
Effective hospice nausea management starts with identifying the mechanism.
Learn moreDelirium
Delirium is a hallmark of the last days of life and affects up to 80% of hospice patients before death.
Learn moreRespiratory secretions ("death rattle")
Terminal respiratory secretions — sometimes called "death rattle" — are the sound of air moving over pooled saliva and airway secretions in a patient who can no longer clear them.
Learn moreTerminal agitation
Terminal agitation is severe, distressing restlessness in the last hours to days of life.
Learn moreWounds and skin integrity
Hospice wound care reframes the goal from healing to comfort, dignity, and odor control.
Learn moreConstipation
Constipation is nearly universal in hospice patients on opioids, and it is under-treated.
Learn moreInsomnia
Insomnia in hospice is rarely a primary problem — it is a symptom of something else: uncontrolled pain, dyspnea, anxiety, depression, delirium, or medication side effects.
Learn moreEducational content only. Not a substitute for your organization's policies, your medical director's clinical judgment, or current CMS guidance. See individual pages for author and reviewer bylines and last reviewed dates.
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