What Is the Important Role of Nursing in Palliative Care?

The nurse plays a critical role in providing palliative care. Palliative care is a specialised branch of medicine that focuses on individuals who are suffering from severe diseases, aiming to alleviate their symptoms and reduce the physical and emotional strain caused by their condition. The purpose of palliative care is to improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious disease and can be administered together with curative therapy.

Palliative care is suitable for those with a severe disease, such as:

• Cancer
• Cardiac disease
• Respiratory disease
• Kidney failure
• Alzheimer’s AIDS
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Palliative treatment for patients can be begun from the moment of diagnosis and is not dependent on prognosis.

Nurses who specialise in palliative care are highly educated to cope with complicated pain and symptoms, as well as communicate about serious disease and treatment plans, assisting the patient in areas of:

• Pain Depression
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping

Nurses who specialise in palliative care seek to enhance a patient’s capacity to endure medical treatments and allow the patient to have greater influence over their care by enhancing their comprehension of treatment options and aligning their objectives with those alternatives. The Palliative Care Nurse also helps assist family caregivers and provides practical support.

Daily functioning of a Palliative Care Nurse

Palliative Care Nurses work in partnership with other health practitioners, such as physicians, social workers, and chaplains, within the setting of an interdisciplinary team.

Composed of highly competent, carefully trained experts and volunteers, the team integrates their abilities together to cure a range of illnesses. Palliative care may be part of lifetime therapy, or it may be short-term in the case of a fatal disease.

In this situation, the care team will anticipate and satisfy the needs of the patient and family confronting terminal illness and loss, which is why palliative care and hospice, or end-of-life care, frequently get lumped together.

Palliative Care Nurses can have a role in end-of-life care. To do this, nurses collaborate on a cultural assessment of the patient and family and provide culturally sensitive care.

There is a separate body of knowledge that has direct relevance to the practice of palliative care nursing. In addition, there are unique job characteristics that are useful for a palliative care nurse. This includes:

• Pain and symptom management
• End-stage disease mechanisms
• Psychosocial
• Spiritual and culturally aware treatment of patients and their families
• Interdisciplinary collaborative practice
• Loss and sorrow issues
• Patient education and advocacy
• Bereavement care
• Ethical and legal considerations
• Communication skills Ability to handle stress Compassion and empathy
• Awareness of community resources

What Does a Palliative Nurse Do?

Palliative care nurses offer a wide variety of general nursing tasks for patients. This can be either short-term or long-term care for severely ill people.

Medication Administration

Under a doctor’s prescription, nurses give patients various medications. Medication doses and administration mechanisms, such as syringes or oral drugs, demand a detailed understanding.

General Care

In addition to assessing and charting vital signs, nurses also offer basic care such as maintaining patient cleanliness, helping patients with everyday chores like getting dressed or eating, and reporting to the patient’s primary care physician.

Offer Comfort

Nurses are able to provide a professional type of assistance and comfort. They can listen to the patient’s fears and concerns, help explain the patient’s condition or symptoms, and connect with the patient’s family.

File Necessary Paperwork

Patients may require assistance with medical paperwork and documentation, including medical records, medications, and any physician instructions.

Keep Families and Patient Informed

Nurses must maintain close contact with the patient's family and inform them of any changes in their health, illness progression, and existing treatment plans and care. Palliative nurses must be trained to answer any questions the family might have.

Assist in Pain Relief

The ultimate objective is comfort and pain control for these people. Nurses must carefully assess pain levels and give remedies to avoid suffering. This might include physical discomfort, nausea, bed sores, anxiety, and difficulties breathing.

Where Do Palliative Nurses Typically Work?

There are three primary sites where a palliative care nurse would often work. That includes:

• Home Care
• Hospice
• Hospital

How Much do Palliative Nurses Make?

With the progressively aging Baby Boomer group, the need for palliative nurses is expanding each year. This presents a positive outlook for RNs wishing to explore palliative care services.

As of 2024, the average pay for a palliative care nurse in Australia is AU$75,995 https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Skill=Palliative_Care/Salary

In conclusion, in order to become a palliative care nurse, you will need to complete Graduate Certificate in Advanced Nursing specialising in Palliative Care Nursing. This course stands out for emphasising a person-centred approach to Palliative Care Nursing, which will guarantee the security and safety of providing care for patients with end-of-life conditions in acute care units, community settings, specialised haematology and oncology units, and aged care facilities. Get in touch with us at MWT Education Consultancy for further information.