End of Life Care
End of Life Care: Family Health
McKendree University
NSG 420 Fall 2014
Introduction In nursing, the goal of care is usually to restore the patient back to the highest level of health possible. In some cases, however, the goals of care change when a curative approach is no longer appropriate. The new goals of care could simply be palliation and pain control rather than a restoration back to full health. This type of care is called palliative care. Palliative care is not the same as end-of-life care, but the two go hand-in-hand at times. The goal of end-of-life care is a “good” death, good being defined by the patient. Palliation is part of that “good” death. Both palliative care and end-of-life care are areas of patient care that can be highly sensitive for those involved. A nurse must be able to navigate these waters carefully. The physically and mentally exhaustive nature of illness and dying takes a huge toll on the patient and his/her family.
Anyone can qualify for palliative or end-of-life care regardless of race, gender, age, or any other demographic factors. It simply depends on the disease-state, the recommendations of the health care providers, and the goals of the patient. It is estimated that 69%-82% of those who die in high income countries such as the United States will need palliative care (Murtagh, Bausewein, Verne, Groeneveld, Kaloki, & Higginson, 2013), illustrating the need for nurses to familiarize themselves with this type of care.
One concern voiced by many nurses is a not knowing what to do or say during end-of-life care (Sherwen, 2014). In the case of cancer, in particular, which has become more of a long-term illness, nurses feel uncomfortable and may miss opportunities in patient care (Sherwen, 2014). The following will be a discussion of palliative/end-of-life care and what the nurse can do to help the family and patient during a difficult time. A successful case is one in which the
McKendree University
NSG 420 Fall 2014
Introduction In nursing, the goal of care is usually to restore the patient back to the highest level of health possible. In some cases, however, the goals of care change when a curative approach is no longer appropriate. The new goals of care could simply be palliation and pain control rather than a restoration back to full health. This type of care is called palliative care. Palliative care is not the same as end-of-life care, but the two go hand-in-hand at times. The goal of end-of-life care is a “good” death, good being defined by the patient. Palliation is part of that “good” death. Both palliative care and end-of-life care are areas of patient care that can be highly sensitive for those involved. A nurse must be able to navigate these waters carefully. The physically and mentally exhaustive nature of illness and dying takes a huge toll on the patient and his/her family.
Anyone can qualify for palliative or end-of-life care regardless of race, gender, age, or any other demographic factors. It simply depends on the disease-state, the recommendations of the health care providers, and the goals of the patient. It is estimated that 69%-82% of those who die in high income countries such as the United States will need palliative care (Murtagh, Bausewein, Verne, Groeneveld, Kaloki, & Higginson, 2013), illustrating the need for nurses to familiarize themselves with this type of care.
One concern voiced by many nurses is a not knowing what to do or say during end-of-life care (Sherwen, 2014). In the case of cancer, in particular, which has become more of a long-term illness, nurses feel uncomfortable and may miss opportunities in patient care (Sherwen, 2014). The following will be a discussion of palliative/end-of-life care and what the nurse can do to help the family and patient during a difficult time. A successful case is one in which the