The Kansas nurse
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Nurses spend more time with patients who are facing the end-of-life than any other member of the health care team. Yet, studies have shown that many nurses feel inadequately prepared to provide the comprehensive care so important at the end-of-life. Penny Marshall, RN, PhD nursing professor at Johnson County Community College has recently attended a three-day course on end-of-life care held in Pasadena, CA. ⋯ Ferrell, PhD, FAAN, Principal Investigators). The training program, entitled End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC), was conducted by distinguished faculty of researchers, educators, authors, and leaders in the field of palliative care; and aimed to provide faculty with comprehensive information on end-of-life care and resources to integrate into nursing school programs. The following two articles draw on this extensive curriculum to discuss two important aspects of end-of-life care: 1) common ethical dilemmas and complex questions that arise in the practice setting; and 2) symptom management during palliative care.