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Caring for those who are dying and in the last days of life is a common aspect of caring for people in the community. While caseloads are time-pressured, stretched nurses can do a great deal to reduce any suffering at the end of life by providing optimal assessment and care. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Many patients with kidney disease who are nearing the end of life will want to embark on a palliative pathway of care, but may not want to withdraw from haemodialysis altogether, as it can provide important symptom relief. Home haemodialysis can facilitate the concept of palliative haemodialysis, as it can be carried out either at home or in a hospice setting. In this article, Sunita Nair and Natalie Borman describe the experience of two UK renal units in the application of palliative haemodialysis. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Healthcare professionals should not be reluctant to talk to patients about death and dying
A report by the Royal College of Physicians reveals that while open discussions are fundamental to managing care, giving patients choices and control over the rest of their lives, professionals continue to find them challenging. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
The purpose of this project was to explore how registered community nurses experienced providing holistic end-of-life care and how having a structured end-of-life care pathway plan would help develop their knowledge and skills, particularly in respect of communication and their ability and confidence in providing evidence-based compassionate care. For some practitioners there exists a lack of confidence surrounding end of life care, which can result in nurses' reluctance to become involved and avoid engaging in those ‘difficult conversations’. Following implementation, early reviews from practice suggest that incorporating the 19 steps of the plan into the delivery of community-based care at end of life has enhanced practice and patient experience.
Advance care planning (ACP) has been suggested to improve the quality of life (QoL) and mental wellbeing in severely ill patients and their relatives. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
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Person-centred palliative care poses high demands on professionals and patients regarding appropriate and effective communication and informed decision-making. This is even more so for patients with limited health literacy, as they lack the necessary skills to find, understand and apply information about their health and healthcare. Recognizing patients with limited health literacy and adapting the communication, information provision and decision-making process to their skills and needs is essential to achieve desired person-centred palliative care. Open Access Article
Citing her own personal experiences, Amber Rudd has asked the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to set up an honest and in depth evaluation of how the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their life and those with severe conditions.
Leading learning disabilities research advocate Irene Tuffrey-Wijne uses her role to ‘shout about’ the need to involve service users in healthcare decisions that affect them
Irene Tuffrey-Wijne has made it her life’s mission to campaign on behalf of people with learning disabilities and autism when it comes to end of life care and bereavement. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
The pathway aims to provide learning disability staff with a unified and structured approach that places the service user at the centre of care and enhances partnership working with palliative care services. The pathway prompts the development of a personalised care plan that respects the wishes of the person and their family.
To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.