International journal of palliative nursing
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A key aspect to the provision of palliative care is maintaining the dignity of the individual being cared for. Nurses working in the community setting need knowledge and skills to meet the needs of individuals who need palliative care and their families. Dignity Care Intervention Ireland is a community-based pilot project designed to implement a dignity care intervention for individuals with a life-limiting condition living in their own home. As part of the overall intervention, an education programme was developed for nurses working in the community. ⋯ The importance of education about palliative care to support the delivery of dignity-preserving care cannot be underestimated. Ensuring nurses have the requisite knowledge will enhance future practice development and subsequently improve care for patients with life-limiting conditions and their families.
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For health and social care services to meet the needs of a growing and ageing population they need to respond appropriately. This response is only going to be possible if attention is paid to the individuals within it. This includes those people living with a learning disability (LD). ⋯ This programme enabled the identification, assessment and management of the health and social care needs of people living and dying in a care home with a LD.
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Spiritual care is a fundamental component of holistic end-of-life (EoL) care. ⋯ There is a need for further research into the international perspective on the spiritual needs of homeless people towards the EoL, especially in secular countries.
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Education is integral to the development of children's palliative care (CPC) globally; thus, the International Children's Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) developed a training programme including face-to-face and e-learning programmes to increase access to CPC. A review of ICPCN's e-learning programmes was undertaken in April/May 2018. At the time of writing, there are seven courses available, with more scheduled to be released in the near future. ⋯ An evaluation in 2015/16 found that >80% of respondents said the courses were clear, understandable, rated them highly and found them useful. Some 75% of respondents reported improved knowledge, skills and change in attitude, while 61% reported a change in practice. The ICPCN e-learning platform is an innovative way of improving knowledge and understanding of CPC, thereby increasing the accessibility and availability of CPC.
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End-of-life (EoL) care is increasingly provided by nurses outside of traditional hospice environments, yet many general nurses have limited education in EoL care. This article describes the development and evolution of an EOL care course in a baccalaureate nursing program, and the resources and strategies the faculty used to facilitate student engagement and learning. The original EoL course was then eliminated and replaced by the inclusion of EOL care education within existing courses. Faculty drew on the experience gained and lessons learned over several years to identify essential content from the course and include it in the new curriculum, to be integrated into existing courses and levels.