This fourth edition of a comprehensive text/reference that has been valued by students, educators and practising nurses for many years, Palliative Care Nursing continues to reflect the fundamental basic and advanced hospice and palliative care nursing competencies that are required for effective and empathetic care of patients and families. This new edition focuses on palliative care that is responsive to the demand for health care reform in America and globally. It provides the knowledge, scientific evidence and skills needed by nurses to address the complex physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of patients and families within the context of a changing health care delivery system. With a focus on interprofessional collaboration, the book emphasises the value of complementary, holistic models in promoting health, wholeness and wellness across the illness trajectory, even as death approaches.

The book describes the management of specific diseases and related physical and psychological symptoms and care of the patient during the dying process. It includes assessment of key symptoms and pharmacological, non-pharmacological and complementary interventions. Taking a life-span approach, the book includes age-appropriate nursing considerations. Key points at the beginning of each chapter and callouts containing evidenced-based information of the highest caliber highlight relevant evidence-supporting practise. The text also examines legal, ethical and cultural considerations related to death and dying and offers case studies with conclusions in each clinical chapter.

New to the Fourth Edition:

• Thoroughly revised and expanded
• Three new chapters:
• - A Paradigm for Health Care Reform in America: The Science and Systems
• - Living with Serious and Chronic Illness: Health Promotion and Rehabilitation
• - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• A conceptual framework table in each chapter identifying the National Quality Forum Domains of Palliative Care and Basic and Advanced Palliative Care and Hospice Nursing Competencies
• Updated evidence-based callouts that review the highest-quality studies
• New case studies with conclusions