Question

What is the goal of healthcare when caring for those who are dying?

What is the role of the nurse in this process?

How can hospice and palliative care be an integral part of end of life care?

Answer 1

The goal of health care for those who are dying is to help the person to die with the utmost dignity and peaceful.

The role of the nurse at the end of life care

• treat the individual who is at the end of life compassionately.
• Make them express their feelings and listen to them calmly.
• Maintain effective communication with the patient and discuss the end of life care.
• Minimize the pain and other symptoms associated with their condition.
• Respect their wishes and involve them at the end of life decision.
• Make involvement and presence of family members at the end of life hours.
• Avoid distressful situation and promote comfort to the patient.

Hospice care is special type of care given to the terminally ill patient who is going to die. Hospice care is given either in the hospital or at home. It is given by doctors, nurses, social workers, home health aide, counselors or volunteers. Hospice care helps the person to die peacefully. Palliative care helps to manage the patient's symptoms and to improve the quality of life. It focuses on improving the physical, psychological, spiritual, and social well being of the patient. Thus the hospice and palliative care play an important part for the terminally ill patient to lead the rest of life with utmost quality and to die more peacefully with respect and dignity.