The emotional labour of caring for patients at the end of life

End of Life Journal, 2014 Spring, Vol/iss 4/1

Deborah Holman

This article will discuss the emotional labour of nursing - defined as the emotional cost to nurses of managing, hiding and suppressing their emotions - and explore the significance and therapeutic value of emotional labour in the lives of patients at the end of life. It will then discuss the implications of emotional labour for the nursing profession in relation to the need to ensure nurses receive more support and education regarding managing their emotions whilst caring for others.

Fulltext available in End of Life Journal

Holistic assessment of a woman admitted to a hospice with anxiety

End of Life Journal, 2014 Spring, Vol/iss 4/1

Rebecca Newman

In advanced disease, symptoms of anxiety can be difficult to differentiate from symptoms of physical disease. Therefore, anxiety states are often undiagnosed in palliative care patients. The aim of the article is to show how a holistic assessment can successfully address anxiety at the end of life. However, it is recommended that formal assessments of psychological well-being are also required for patients with significant psychological needs to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions and approaches used. 

Fulltext available in End of Life Journal

Physical exercise and therapy in terminally ill cancer patients: a retrospective feasibility analysis.

Supportive Care in Cancer, May 2014, vol./is. 22/5(1261-8)

Jensen W, Bialy L, Ketels G, Baumann FT, Bokemeyer C, Oechsle K

From this study it was concluded that PE/PT were feasible in >90 % of terminally ill cancer patients to whom PE/PT had been offered. Physical exercises, relaxation therapy, and breathing training were the most frequently applicable methods. Prospective trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of specific PE/PT programs in terminally ill cancer patients.

Facilitating change and adaptation: the experiences of current and bereaved carers of patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Journal of Palliative Medicine, April 2014, vol./is. 17/4(421-7)

Philip J, Gold M, Brand C, Miller B, Douglass J, Sundararajan V

This study seeks to understand the experiences and needs of family carers of people with severe COPD.  The impact of caring borne by family carers is substantial and life changing. Health professionals may assist carers in their role through acknowledgement, facilitating recognition of the changes that have occurred (and their implications), and enabling creative adaptive responses for carers. Such assistance is likely to enhance the ability of carers to continue in this demanding role.

When open-ended questions don't work: the role of palliative paternalism in difficult medical decisions

Journal of Palliative Medicine, April 2014, vol./is. 17/4(415-20)

Roeland E, Cain J, Onderdonk C, Kerr K, Mitchell W, Thornberry K

Paternalism, characterized as the antithesis of autonomy, is widely dismissed as having any role in medicine. The authors disagree and argue that paternalism still has an important role in medical decision making.

Use of corticosteroids for anorexia in palliative medicine: a systematic review

Journal of Palliative Medicine, April 2014, vol./is. 17/4(482-5)

Miller S, McNutt L, McCann MA, McCorry N

As a result of this review, the authors conclude that corticosteroids are beneficial in treating anorexia in palliative care patients with malignancies; however there is no evidence for their use in anorexia due to end-stage nonmalignant disease. There is insufficient evidence to recommend any particular corticosteroid drug over another, or to recommend a dosing regimen.

Intimate partner violence in an outpatient palliative care setting

Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, April 2014, vol./is. 47/4(806-13)

Culver Wygant CR, Bruera E, Hui D

Palliative care patients may be at high risk for intimate partner violence because they are generally more vulnerable and dependent and more isolated as a result of physical and functional deterioration. In this article, the authors discuss a patient with advanced cancer who experienced IPV in the palliative care setting and use the case to highlight some of the management issues regarding IPV.

Fulltext available Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

Available in print at Arthur Rank House Library, Brookfields Hospital

Dying with dementia: symptoms, treatment, and quality of life in the last week of life

Journal of Pain & Symptom Management, April 2014, vol./is. 47/4(710-20)

Hendriks SA, Smalbrugge M, Hertogh CM, van der Steen JT

The aim of this study was to investigate symptom prevalence and prescribed treatment, explore associations with quality of life (QOL) in the last week of life, and examine symptom prevalence by cause of death of nursing home residents with dementia.

Available in fulltext in Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

Available in print at Arthur Rank House Library, Brookfields Hospital

Breakthrough cancer pain: the role of the nurse

International Journal of Palliative Nursing, March 2014, vol./is. 20/3(126-9)

Buchanan A, Davies A, Geerling J

Breakthrough pain is common in patients with cancer and is a significant cause of morbidity in this group of patients. Breakthrough pain is a heterogeneous condition, and so its management needs to be individualised. This paper describes the management of breakthrough pain and, specifically, the recently published guidelines of the European Oncology Nursing Society.

Available from EBSCOhost in International Journal of Palliative Nursing

Available in print at Arthur Rank House Library, Brookfields Hospital

Advice from children and adolescents on final conversations with dying loved ones.

Death Studies, 01 May 2014, vol./is. 38/5(308-314)

Keeley, Maureen P., Generous, Mark A.

To understand more about final conversations (communication between loved ones from the point of terminal diagnosis until death), 49 children/adolescents provided final conversation advice for other youth and for the dying person. The main finding was that young people should be included in the death process.