Nursing care for end-stage liver disease

Nurses are seeing more and more patients with liver disease, many of whom are under 65. Most common causes are avoidable and, as liver disease may take up to 30 years to develop, identifying those at risk is key. Patients with liver disease often have a fluctuating course of complications that needs a team approach to care. Improving end-of-life care can also reduce the number of these patients who die in hospital. This article, the first in a two-part series, explores some common complications of liver disease and best practice for nurses treating patients with end-stage liver disease.