Supportive Care Nursing Clinical Protocol Incorporates Holism in a Public Acute Care Hospital

The Supportive Care Nursing Clinical Protocol (SCNCP) was developed to guide holistic nursing care for seriously ill hospitalized patients. The SCNCP uses national guidelines and evidence-based interventions as its foundation. Seriously ill patients may require palliative care, which is synonymous with supportive care. Acute care nurses may not be proficient in providing holistic supportive care for patients with life-limiting illness. At a 670-bed public acute care hospital, palliative care consultation requires a physician order and palliation may arrive late in an illness. Independent nursing interventions can contribute to the alleviation of suffering. Evidence-based interventions used in the SCNCP include using computer applications for breathing exercise (relaxation and mindfulness), topical applications for alleviating thirst, and hand-held fans for dyspnea. The SCNCP is projected for implementation (Spring 2017). The SCNCP will be evaluated for effectiveness after 6 months of implementation. Key indicators for successful implementation include increased nursing knowledge of supportive care and the frequency of protocol implementation as evidenced in the electronic health record. Eventually, the SCNCP will be implemented as the standard for supportive care of the seriously ill for all hospitals in the health system network.