Ethical Issues of Palliative Care Nursing

Palliative care nursing is a speciality where you observe your patients in their most vulnerable moments. Whether it be watching a patient struggle to hold on until their last family member arrives to say good-bye, or accompanying them as they take their final breath. It isn’t solely about death, but rather about making your patient as comfortable and as dignified as possible as they transition into their final days of life. According to WHO, “Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of persons and their families facing the problem associated with life-limiting illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual”. There are many health issues which arise in regards to patients who are dealing with a terminal illness or approaching end of life such as: pain management, respiratory distress, digestive issues, fatigue, difficulties involving elimination, depression, etc. Although it is impossible to alleviate all these health issues, it is crucial that we as palliative care nurses attempt to relieve our patients from as many negative symptoms that may accompany them as we can. Palliative care is an area of nursing which will always be around, as the circle of life will never come to an end. Because of this, it is especially important that we put a great deal of focus on palliative care nursing and how we can better it from a medical as well as ethical standpoint.Ethical Issues of Palliative Care Nursing