Emotion work in the palliative nursing care of children and young people

The nurse's role in supporting and caring for children and young people with life-limiting illness/conditions and their families requires specialist expertise. This domain can be one of the most emotionally challenging areas of practice. The concept of time, and how long practitioners are involved with individual children and their families may sometimes be underestimated. Emotion work is defined as the work involved in managing feelings in both self and others (Hochschild, 1983). The sense of community within the clinical setting can facilitate the nurse to care and maintain professional boundaries.