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End of life care for patients following acute stroke
Author: Eileen Cowey
Date: March 2012
Journal: Nursing Standard
Issue: Volume 26, Number 27
Keywords: Acute stroke, end of life care, palliative care, spiritual care, stroke unit
End of life care is an important aspect of acute stroke nursing because stroke mortality rates remain high, despite advances in care. There is a national drive to improve the quality of end of life care in all clinical areas, including for stroke patients. Patients who have had a stroke should not be excluded from acute stroke care at the end of life. Stroke care should incorporate multidisciplinary working, anticipatory care planning and prescribing, and effective communication with patients and families. The use of end of life care pathways is widely recommended as best practice. Palliative care specialists may provide support where patients’ needs are complex, while decisions to withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be avoided immediately following stroke. Spiritual care extends beyond religious care and is the responsibility of the multidisciplinary team. Although more research is required about stroke care at the end of life, providing high-quality, patient-centred services for patients who have had a stroke and their families during this time is achievable.
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The RCN Publishing Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal College of Nursing, the world's largest organisation for nurses. RCN Publishing produces one weekly, eight monthly and two quarterly nursing publications. Nursing Standard, the flagship journal, is the UK's biggest selling weekly for nursing. It is produced by RCN Publishing Company along with a suite of specialist nursing journals - Cancer Nursing Practice, Mental Health Practice, Learning Disability Practice, Nursing Children and Young People, Nursing Management, Emergency Nurse, Nursing Older People, Nurse Researcher and Primary Health Care. RCN Publishing Company also produce the RCN Bulletin, a major source of up-to-the-minute information for RCN members in all specialities, grades and working environments. With the latest nurse vacancies from trusts nationwide, it has become the most cost-effective nurse recruitment magazine available.