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‘hospice care’, but presently many claim that palliative care should be incorporated
with curative care, starting soon after a patient is diagnosed with a potentially life-
threatening illness (Polit and Beck, 2014). Indeed, the World Health Organisation
(2017) define palliative care as “early identification and impeccable assessment and
The ability to provide palliative care is a skill set that nurse practitioners should
acquire, develop, and refine. The relief of suffering – physical, emotional and spiritual
– leads to even better patient outcomes and increased patient satisfaction (Chan et al.,
2015). But nurses in palliative care are not only expected to present thorough and
effective symptom assessments and management and complete medical directives that
guide care with life-limiting/life-threatening illness. One of the most important roles
also include being a support, not only for the patient but for his or her respective
family also. Popejoy et al. (2009) describe nurses’ actively involving patients in end-
of-life planning and provide examples of allowing and encouraing family to stay or
sleep at the bedside as means of emotional support measures for both the dying
spirituality important to them and asking if they feel supported is included in the
spiritual assessment. Palliative care can involve asking the patient if they have
specific religious or spiritual beliefs that can be incorporated into the plan of care, if
they are supported in a faith community, and whether they need connection and
support (National Insitute for Health and Care Excellence, 2014). Spiritual advisors
should be referred to when these needs surpass the nurse’s skills. Emotional support
spending time with patients to provide psychological support (Mak et al., 2013).
interactions between patient and nurse (Nelson et al., 2010). Indeed, communication
is one of the most important aspects of nursing care in improving outcomes for
patients with palliative care and their families who are experiencing psychological
and emotional distress. It is implied that nurses have invalulable opportunities to help
decrease disorders and emotional problems (Walker and Deacon, 2015). Initially, this
to get to know them and be able to work collaboratively with them. Palliative care
There also suggests a relationship between the provision foe motional care and
support and other nursing activities, such as comfort and enabling others to act for
themselves through empowerment (Polit and Beck, 2014). Nurses who communicate
provision of emotional care and support. There is a link between symptom distress
and the number of interventions classified as emotionally caring (Nelson et al., 2010).
Patients with high levels of symptom distress receive more interventions focusing on
In conclusion, nurses in all fields care for people with serious or potentially life-
threatening illness. While the priority of palliative care is to prevent and relieve
care. This relief of physical, emotional and spiritual suffering can lead to improved
patient outcomes and can also increase patient satisfaction during a trying period of
their lives.
References:
Chan, W., Tin, A. and Wong K (2015) ‘Coping with existential and emotional
Mak, W., Chiang, L. and Chui, T. (2013) ‘Experiences and perceptions of nurses
caring for dying patients and families in the acute medical admission setting’,
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2014) End of Life Care for Adults.
Nelson, E., Puntillo, A., Pronovost, J., Walker, S., McAdam, L., Ilaoa, D. and Penrod,
J. (2010) ‘In their own words: patients and families define high-quality palliative care
in the intensive care unit’, Critical Care Medicine, 38(3), pp. 808–818.
Popejoy, L., Cheyney, L., Beck, M. and Antal, L. (2009) ‘Intensive care unit nurse
perceptions of caring for the dying’, Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 11(3),
pp. 179–186.
Walker, W. and Deacon, K. (2015) ‘Nurses’ experience of caring for the suddenly
bereaved in adult acute and critical care settings, and provisions of person-centred
care: a qualitative study’, Intensive & Critical Care Nursing, 33(1), pp. 39–47.
November 2017).
World Health Organization (2015) Health Systems and Services: The Role of Acute