International journal of palliative nursing
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Repeat contact with suffering, dying, and death is considered to be a risk factor for burnout among health professionals, particularly nurses working in palliative care. A mixed methods study was conducted to identify burnout levels, risk and protective factors, prevention strategies, and the emotional impact of working in palliative care among nurses in Portugal. ⋯ Although the participants were exposed to risk factors, such as work overload, disorganisation, difficult relationships within the team and with patients' relatives, they showed a low risk of burnout. These results appear to be related both to the protective factors identified-namely the ethic of care in the relationship the nurses establish with patients, families, and within their teams-and to the preventive strategies they actively adopt for burnout prevention. The positive aspects of the nurses' roles help them to build a positive view of their work, which also promotes their own personal and professional development.
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End-of-life (EoL) care is a priority in health care and aims to provide services for all those who are dying, irrespective of their location. Providing this care to those in prison services is challenging. This paper reports a project that aimed to provide an education programme to both prison nurses and officers to support their understanding of EoL care and how it may be provided within the confines of the prison environment. ⋯ The mentorship of a clinical nurse specialist already known to the prison staff proved crucial to its successful implementation. Following the educational programme, both the nurses and the prison officers reported having a deeper understanding of the issues and more confidence in providing EoL care to prisoners who are patients. Further delivery of the programme to a wider group is planned, and similar initiatives nationally may provide a flexible, affordable approach to EoL care for those ending their days in prison.