Palliative care 2

exploring the skills that nurses need to deliver high-quality care

Becker, Robert MSc, RMN, DipN, FETC, Cert Ed (FE), RGN

Robert Becker, MSc, RMN, DipN, FETC, Cert Ed (FE), RGN, is Macmillan senior lecturer in palliative care, faculty of health, Staffordshire University and Severn Hospice, Shropshire.

For part 1 of this series: Principles of palliative care nursing and end-of-life care go to:tinyurl.com/nt-palliativecare1

• Part 3, to be published next week, explores using the palliative approach in practice.

Nursing Times 105(14):p 18-20, April 14, 2009.

ABSTRACT

The second in this three-part series on palliative care outlines the skills nurses need to deliver effective care. Part 1 examined definitions of palliative care nursing, its core aims and values, and recent policies on end-of-life care. This article explores the evidence base to support the diverse range of knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to provide nursing care for people at the end of life.