Nursing Textbook | Online

We are in a new era of dying

Gone are the days when the majority of people died of infections (early 1900’s), or died relatively quickly from the effects of heart attacks, strokes or cancers (through 1900’s). Today, people live longer than ever before, and they usually have multiple, chronic, life-limiting illnesses in their last decades of life.

How do these changes affect health care? There are more people needing care, their care needs are increasingly more complex, and the care is required over a longer time frame. Care of the dying cannot be left to the palliative care specialists – there are not enough of them to meet the care needs. Everyone on the care team is needed to provide care for people aging and dying. Nurses, however, are instrumental members of the care team, providing care and leadership in this new era of providing care for people dying over multiple years with increasingly complex care needs.

How can nurses prepare for caregiving in the new era of dying?

Prepare nurses by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for integrating a palliative approach and providing palliative care. When people have knowledge and skills, they can confidently and competently provide for the care needs of people in this new era of dying.

This text can help every nurse to confidently and competently provide palliative care and a palliative approach.

With this text, Essentials in Hospice and Palliative Care: A Practical Resource for Every Nurse and companion resources, nurses build the knowledge, skills and best practices needed for providing palliative care and a palliative approach.

By learning palliative care with these resources, nurses will:

• Understand the dying process and common issues that arise for the person and family
• Integrate the principles of palliative care into their practice in all care settings
• Develop best practice interactions for communicating and being with
• Develop assessment, communication, and care planning skills
• Learn about physician assisted dying
• Become more comfortable and confident in having difficult conversations
• Develop confidence and skills for collaborating and communicating with the health care team.

Written with warmth, humour by palliative care nurses, this text:

• Addresses ethical principles and questions through ethical touchstones.
• Incorporates stories to help nurses develop cultural competence and cultural humility.
• Encourages nurses to consider their role as a leader and advocate through day-to-day work.
• Can help to increase a nurse’s confidence, competence, and compassion in caring for the dying person and their family.