Role of the community nurse in supporting person-centred end of life care

Abstract

Why you should read this article: • To understand the principles underpinning person-centred care and how these relate to end of life care • To appreciate the importance of self-care for nurses in challenging situations such as the death of a patient • To contribute towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) Supporting end of life care is an important part of community nursing. Pressures on community nurses are ever-increasing as they strive to meet the needs of patients who are at the end of life. Interactions between patients approaching the end of life and healthcare practitioners can be challenging, since talking about death and dying, and planning for the future, is often emotive and may test the skills and personal values of the healthcare practitioner. This article details some of the challenges that community nurses may experience, and explains how to address these to support effective, person-centred end of life practice. It also encourages nurses to reflect on the complex nature of end of life care and the effects that providing such care may have on their well-being.