Related Experiment Videos

An overview of the end-of-life discussion

Phil Edwards1

  • 1St Margaret's Hospice, Heron Drive, Bishop's Hull, Taunton, Somerset TA1 5HA, UK.

International Journal of Palliative Nursing
|March 8, 2005
PubMed

Good communication with patients can be a powerful tool in palliative care. However, discussing fears and anxieties at length is also something that many nurses find difficult. This article provides an overview of one approach to using the power of communication, the end-of-life discussion. Practical issues are considered, as well as suggestions as to what to include in such a discussion. Concepts of loss and meaning for the person with advanced disease are looked at. The article also considers some of the key communication skills that are especially valuable, such as active listening, ways of encouraging disclosure and the handling of silences.

Related Concept Videos

Ethical Dilemmas II01:30

Ethical Dilemmas II

Resolving an ethical dilemma in healthcare involves a systematic approach that considers every aspect of the issue, respecting both the patient's needs and values and the healthcare professional's ethical obligations. Here are potential steps to resolve an ethical dilemma:
Ethical Issues01:27

Ethical Issues

Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Kubler Ross's Stages of Dying01:21

Kubler Ross's Stages of Dying

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross significantly advanced psychology's understanding of the process of dying with her influential book, On Death and Dying (1969). She focused on studying terminally ill individuals and outlined five stages commonly experienced when coping with death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
In denial, individuals reject the reality of their condition, often thinking, "This isn't true; I feel fine," as a way to protect themselves from emotional distress. Anger...
Continuing Care01:25

Continuing Care

Continuing care describes the variety of health, personal, and social services provided over a prolonged period. The need for continuing care is increasing because people are living longer. Many people do not have families or others to care for them. Continuing care is mainly for patients who are disabled, functionally dependent, or suffering from a terminal disease. It is available within institutional settings or in homes. Examples include nursing centers or facilities, assisted living,...
Standards of Care II01:19

Standards of Care II

Nurses bear specific legal responsibilities under several federal statutes, including:
Nursing Ethical Principles II01:27

Nursing Ethical Principles II

Ethical principles are essential in guiding nurses to fulfill their responsibilities, focusing on the quality of nursing care and decision-making. These principles, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, shape the ethical framework within healthcare settings.
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's cancer...