Palliative care: a challenge for orthopaedic nursing care

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Palliative Care
• Musculoskeletal Conditions

Background:

• Musculoskeletal conditions can be chronic, incurable, or life-ending, often leading to inadequate end-of-life care.
• Palliative care addresses the comprehensive physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and existential needs of patients facing serious illness.
• Nurses, particularly orthopaedic nurses, face challenges in integrating palliative care into end-of-life patient and family care planning.

Observation:

• The National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) has developed a consensus document endorsing the Last Acts Precepts of Palliative Care.
• This initiative highlights the need for palliative care in managing life-threatening illnesses.
• A case study demonstrates a multidisciplinary team's approach to patient-centered, holistic end-of-life care.

Findings:

• NAON's leadership promotes the integration of palliative care principles within orthopaedic nursing.
• Endorsement of palliative care precepts affirms its necessity for patients with life-threatening conditions.
• Multidisciplinary teams can effectively center care on individual patient needs and self-determination.

Implications:

• Orthopaedic nurses are encouraged to adopt palliative care principles to improve end-of-life care quality.
• The NAON consensus document serves as a guide for implementing palliative care in musculoskeletal settings.
• Enhanced focus on holistic and patient-centered care can improve the end-of-life experience for patients with debilitating conditions.