The main issues stemming from inefficient end-of-life care are related to the neglect of the patients’ needs in the first place. This circumstance is explained by the fact that healthcare practitioners do not have sufficient evidence-based techniques for improving this aspect of their work (Khandelwal et al., 2017). Therefore, it is critical to consider what challenges can occur on the way to meeting the affected persons’ desires and how nurses can positively affect the outcomes.
The provision of medical services to the elderly population is complicated by the lack of correlation between people’s preferences and the developed palliative care and hospice programs. These initiatives usually do not include a variety of pain management practices, and this factor limits the scope of available options (Khandelwal et al., 2017). In addition, they do not incorporate communication techniques for negotiating treatment with the patients, and the feelings of abandonment are not addressed (Khandelwal et al., 2017; Hirakawa et al., 2019). These conditions are the reasons for ignoring the preferences of individuals concerning end-of-life care. In order to change this situation, as a nurse, I would support my clients by adopting an individualized approach with respect to their wishes and develop my passion for the work (Liu & Chiang, 2017). This method will be optimal for improving the quality of care.
To summarize, the reasons for problems in terms of preferences in end-of-life services are connected to the neglect of emotions and the absence or limitations of communication and pain management techniques. However, the situation can be changed by the introduction of measures by nurses intended to eliminate the accompanying risks. They include the consideration of all cases on an individual basis and the promotion of a passionate attitude.
References
Hirakawa, Y., He, Y., Chiang, C., & Aoyama, A. (2019). Gender differences in wishes and feelings regarding end-of-life care among Japanese elderly people living at home.Journal of Rural Medicine, 14(1), 148-151.
Khandelwal, N., Curtis, J. R., Freedman, V. A., Kasper, J. D., Gozalo, P., Engelberg, R. A., & Teno, J. M. (2017). How often is end-of-life care in the United States inconsistent with patients’ goals of care?.Journal of Palliative Medicine, 20(12), 1400-1404.
Liu, Y. C., & Chiang, H. H. (2017). From vulnerability to passion in the end-of-life care: The lived experience of nurses. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 31, 30-36.