Elements and Performance Criteria
- Plan a palliative approach to client care
- Reflect an understanding of the difference between curative and palliative approaches in contributing to client care planning
- Contribute to care plan to address in a holistic way client needs that may extend over time not just end-of-life
- Apply the principles and aims of a palliative approach in contributing to development of care plan
- Support clients to identify their preferences for quality of life choices
- Consult clients, family members, significant others and carers to identify and share information regarding changing needs and preferences
- Respect client lifestyle, social context and spiritual needs in developing the care plan
- Respect cultural choices in line with care plan
- Support the freedom of the client, his/her family, carer and significant others to discuss spiritual and cultural issues in an open and non-judgemental way within scope of own responsibilities and skills
- Demonstrate respect for the roles of the client and carer in planning and delivering care
- Address any client issues in line with own responsibilities or refer them to the appropriate member of the care team in line with organisation requirements
- Provide emotional support using effective communication skills
- Support the incorporation of advanced care directives within the care plan
- Demonstrate an understanding of the legal and ethical implications of advanced care directives and communicate them to all staff according to organisation policy
- Support the process of end-of-life ethical decisions agreed by client and family, as documented in the care plan by an appropriate staff member in line with organisation policy
- Report the client's needs/issues in relation to end-of-life to the appropriate team member for documentation in the care plan
- Observe any impact on carers of client's end-of-life needs/issues and provide support
- Contribute to the development of and implementation of end-of-life care strategies
- Respect client's preferences including cultural and spiritual wishes when contributing to an end-of-life care plan
- Respect the dignity of the client when planning end-of-life care and immediately following death
- Observe any signs of a client's imminent death/deterioration and report to an appropriate member of the care team in line with organisation requirements
- Provide a supportive environment for the client, families, carers and those involved in their care at end-of-life
- Inform other staff that decisions made by the client are reviewed regularly as indicated by changes on the care plan
- Recognise and support emotional needs of other clients and their families and/or carers affected when a death occurs
- Prepare client, family, other staff and self for any distressing end-of-life events within own responsibilities
- Take action to alleviate pain and other end-of-life symptoms experienced by client/resident
- Plan and document in care plan strategies to promote comfort in collaboration with supervisor and/or other health professional
- Assess resident/client need for pain and other symptom relief in line with care plan and report to supervisor and/or other health professional
- Provide pain relief in line with relevant legislation and organisation policy and care plan
- In consultation with supervisor and/or other health professional, provide appropriate information about the use of pain relieving medication and other treatments to staff, clients and their family
- Observe, report and document effectiveness of interventions for symptom relief
- Communicate ineffectiveness of interventions to supervisor and/or other health professional and document
- Identify and manage emotional responses in self and others
- Identify and reflect upon own emotional responses to death and dying and raise and discuss any issues with supervisor and/or other appropriate person
- Identify and reflect upon potential impact of personal responses on self and others and action appropriately
- Inform others about support systems available such as bereavement care
- Follow organisation policies and procedures in relation to emotional welfare of self, team members, clients and family
- Assist colleagues to debrief and discuss bereavement care
- Identify other strategies/resources available for debriefing
- Evaluate effectiveness of emotional response strategies