End of life in an Icelandic nursing home: an ethnographic study

Abstract

The findings suggest that RNs' professional knowledge can greatly contribute to the care of dying elderly residents in nursing homes. There seem to be many parallels between the condition and wellbeing of very frail nursing home residents and patients in specialized palliative care units for the elderly. Public awareness of palliative care of the elderly in Icelandic nursing homes should be encouraged.

Nurses’ required end‐of‐life care competence in health centres inpatient ward – a qualitative descriptive study

“…Nurses experienced that it was the nurse who was responsible for care planning and should have the competence to observe the patient’s condition and current needs, and it was the nurse whose task it was to facilitate multiprofessional cooperation. The element of care planning was only briefly mentioned in earlier studies (30), and care planning has not been defined to be an independent competence area (12,17). It is possible that care planning is considered to be a part of all care in general, and it has not been seen as a factor that has importance on its own.…”

“…Nurses' competence to support the communication and continuity of care between the patient, their family and the physician is important (25,26). Within the organisation, nurses must have the competence to make sure that the care instructions are clear to all nurses, especially inexperienced ones (30). Nurses also need the ability to help patients and their families to participate in decision-making (23).…”

Enabling At-Homeness for Older People With Life-Limiting Conditions: A Participant Observation Study From Nursing Homes

“…In a nursing home study based on participant observation data, it was found that care involving a palliative approach was the most important element of the care and that registered nurses had a key role in such care (Emilsdóttir & Gústafsdóttir, 2011). Another participant observation study focusing on older people’s end of life in nursing homes showed that nursing staff can influence the care relationship through how they behave in relation to the older person (Spichiger, 2010).…”

Meaning‐in‐life in nursing‐home patients: a correlate with physical and emotional symptoms

“…By 2020, it is projected that half of all deaths in the United States will occur in NHs (Last Acts ). Therefore, in general, cognitively intact NH patients are in the last phase of life and might be in great need of palliative care (Emilsdóttir & Gústafsdóttir ), and the quality of that care will affect many individuals and their families worldwide.…”