Complexity of Nurse Practitioners’ Role in Facilitating a Dignified Death for Long-Term Care Home Residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Complexity of Nurse Practitioners’ Role in Facilitating a Dignified Death for Long-Term Care Home Residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the interplay of multiple complex and interrelated factors, long-term care (LTC) home residents are increasingly vulnerable to sustaining poor outcomes in crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. While death is considered an unavoidable end for LTC home residents, the importance of fa...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shirin Vellani, Veronique Boscart, Astrid Escrig-Pinol, Alexia Cumal, Alexandra Krassikova, Souraya Sidani, Nancy Zheng, Lydia Yeung, Katherine S. McGilton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
Series:Journal of Personalized Medicine
Subjects:
nurse practitioners
nursing home
COVID-19
palliative care
end-of-life
dignified death
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4426/11/5/433
Description
Summary:Due to the interplay of multiple complex and interrelated factors, long-term care (LTC) home residents are increasingly vulnerable to sustaining poor outcomes in crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. While death is considered an unavoidable end for LTC home residents, the importance of facilitating a good death is one of the primary goals of palliative and end-of-life care. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are well-situated to optimize the palliative and end-of-life care needs of LTC home residents. This study explores the role of NPs in facilitating a dignified death for LTC home residents while also facing increased pressures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current exploratory qualitative study employed a phenomenological approach. A purposive sample of 14 NPs working in LTC homes was recruited. Data were generated using semi-structured interviews and examined using thematic analysis. Three categories were derived: (a) advance care planning and goals of care discussions; (b) pain and symptom management at the end-of-life; and (c) care after death. The findings suggest that further implementation of the NP role in LTC homes in collaboration with LTC home team and external partners will promote a good death and optimize the experiences of residents and their care partners during the end-of-life journey.
ISSN:2075-4426

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