International journal of palliative nursing
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Recognition of the importance of 'cultural competence' is now central to health care policy and to nurse education and training across the international spectrum. Detailed engagement with models of cultural competence is comparatively recent in palliative care nursing. This article presents the findings from a development project on elders and carers from 'minority ethnic' groups, funded by the Department of Health, to increase awareness of palliative care and to improve understanding of the needs of these groups of service users. ⋯ It draws attention to the complicated relationships between cultural knowledge and practice and to the non-rational and visceral dimensions of intercultural care. These aspects of nursing are marginalised in current approaches to cultural competence, which emphasise the rational acquisition and application of cultural knowledge and skills by practitioners. It is suggested that recognition of these marginalised experiences can contribute to the development of new approaches to intercultural nursing that are also more attuned to the ethos and values of palliative care.
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to clarify the concept of hope as perceived by patients with a terminal illness, to develop hope as an evidence-based nursing concept, to contribute new knowledge and insights about hope to the relatively new field of palliative care; endeavouring to maximize the quality of life of terminally ill patients in the future. ⋯ By completing all the steps to Rodgers' (2000a) evolutionary view of concept analysis, a working definition and clarification of the concept in its current use has been achieved. This provides a solid conceptual foundation for further study.
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This article outlines the conceptual thinking and development of core competencies for a palliative care educator. It is suggested that the process of defining a common core of key skills, personal qualities and attributes that reflect the unique role of a palliative care educator can provide an indicator of the diversity and complexity of this role, which can be used by the educator and employer in job planning, review and professional development. It can also potentially inform pay remuneration that is commensurate with both experience and responsibilities. For employers there is the opportunity to use the core competencies in the appointment of suitably able educators above and beyond the requirements of a standard job description.
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The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is due to be fully implemented in the UK in October 2007 with some of its provisions having already come into force in April 2007. The Act is concerned with the way in which decisions are made on behalf of those individuals who lack the capacity to make their own decisions. It is therefore expected that the Act will have a significant impact on decision-making within palliative care.
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Between 40 and 80% of patients with advanced cancer experience breakthrough pain (BTP), a sudden, rapidly escalating flare of pain occurring against a background of otherwise well-controlled persistent pain. Patients often have up to four episodes of BTP each day, with a typical episode reaching its peak intensity in three to five minutes and lasting about 30 minutes in total. ⋯ The usual approach is to treat BTP with a short-acting, 'normal release' oral opioid, but this is absorbed too slowly to treat the typical episode of BTP. As this article explains, oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (Actiq) is an effective strong opioid that has a rapid onset and short duration of action that closely matches the characteristics of an episode of BTP.