| Description: |
Nursing
Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know should be an
essential component of basic educational preparation for the
professional registered nurse student. Recent studies show that only one
in four nurses feel confident in caring for dying patients and their
families and less than 2% of overall content in nursing textbooks is
related to end-of-life care, despite the tremendous growth in palliative
and end-of-life care programs across the country. The purpose of this
textbook is to provide an in-depth look at death and dying in this
country, including the vital role of the nurse in assisting patients and
families along the journey towards the end of life. There is an
emphasis throughout the book on the simple, yet understated value of
effective interpersonal communication between the patient and clinician.
The text provides a basic foundation of understanding death and dying,
including a brief historical examination of some main conceptual models
associated with how patients cope with an impending loss. An overview of
illness trajectories and models of care, such as hospice and palliative
care are discussed. Lastly, the latest evidence-based approaches for
pain and symptom management, ethical concerns, cultural considerations,
care at the time of death, and grief/bereavement are examined. The goal
of this text is to foster the necessary skills for nurses to provide
compassionate care to individuals who are nearing the end of life and
their families. Every chapter contains a “What You Should Know” section
which highlights and reinforces foundational concepts. |