Establishing a structured plan to provide high-quality end-of-life care in community settings

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to explore how registered community nurses experienced providing holistic end-of-life care and how having a structured end-of-life care pathway plan would help develop their knowledge and skills, particularly in respect of communication and their ability and confidence in providing evidence-based compassionate care. For some practitioners there exists a lack of confidence surrounding end of life care, which can result in nurses' reluctance to become involved and avoid engaging in those 'difficult conversations'. Following implementation, early reviews from practice suggest that incorporating the 19 steps of the plan into the delivery of community-based care at end of life has enhanced practice and patient experience.

Keywords: Care plan; Communication; Community nursing; End-of-life care; Nurse confidence.