palliative care unit

palliative care unit

A facility for the care of patients with active, progressive, far-advanced disease—usually understood to be cancer, but also incapacitating multiple sclerosis and other progressive neurologic diseases—who have a dismal prognosis and for whom the focus of care is the quality of life. The PCU focuses on managing pain and distressing symptoms, such as vomiting and severe dysphagia, and provides emotional support for patients and their families.