Nursing older people
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Nursing older people · May 2011
Palliative care in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
This article considers the place of palliative and end of life care in the management of people with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This respiratory disease has considerable morbidity and mortality, which affect patients, their families and carers, and healthcare provision. ⋯ It follows recommendations that end of life care should be considered and dealt with in this group of patients (Department of Health 2008, National Clinical Guideline Centre 2010). It explores palliation and end of life and then considers more practical applications to support nursing care at the end stage of the disease.