APNs have reported feeling greatly distressed when it comes to having to make end-of-life decisions because of a lack of support in this area. In conclusion, more effort needs to be put into making the lines less blurry for APNs so that they can make end-of-life decisions with more confidence and support. References: Ahrens, T., & Kolleff, M. (2003). Improving family communications at the end of life: implications for length of stay

End-of-life care provided by nurses in palliative settings necessitates conscious awareness of several factors that contribute to the effectiveness of care. Factors that are significantly important components of nursing in end-of-life care include communication skills, advance care planning, sensitivity to contextual and cultural factors, support from the healthcare team, and continuing education. Communication skills The importance of communication skills in end-of-life care was acknowledged by Clayton et al. (2007), who developed a

End-of-Life Health Care Imagine this scenario: a patient has end stage heart failure, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sleep apnea. She has refused any invasive treatments for many years, ignoring potential consequences, and has opted for medical management. She has an advance directive stating her preference for no cardiopulmonary resuscitation, no artificial hydration or nutrition, and only desires comfort measures to allow for a

Grief is not something that goes away on its own. If grief is not dealt with properly it can result in psychological problems for the sufferer as well as for the patient. A "positive coping style may be characterized by a spirit of inner strength. A negative coping style may be identified by helplessness or hopelessness, which may lead to more negative outcomes in dealing with life circumstances" (Guido 2010:

End-of-Life Case StudyAbstractThe ethical issues that arise in decision-making process to end-of-life care will be addressed. Patient�s autonomy and preferences about treatment and end-of-life care should be respected by all parties which are inclusive of, but are not limited to; health professionals and family members. A patient may be incapacitated and may, thus, be unable to make decisions. In such a case, the values and preferences of the patient should

Life Dilemmas in Nursing End of life End of Life Dilemmas in Nursing: Issues with Euthanasia and How to Approach Them A friend of mine had the unfortunate experience of having to make a decision about withdrawing health care from his terminally ill wife. Even without revealing too much detail about the case the description of this incident is rather disturbing. His wife had been treated for breast cancer, but several months