The Role of Nurses in Physical Symptom Management for Terminally Ill Patients
Keywords:
role of nurses, physical symptom management, terminally ill patientsAbstract
Terminally ill patients are individuals whose disease has progressed to the end stage in which curative treatment is no longer feasible. During this stage, the body undergoes physiological changes, and vital organs progressively lose function. Eventually, these organs cease functioning, leading to physical suffering, particularly in the last period of life. Therefore, effective physical symptom management is essential for these patients. Nurses, as healthcare professionals who maintain the closest contact with patients, play a crucial role in physical symptom management for terminally ill patients to alleviate suffering, enhance their quality of life in the final stage of life, and facilitate a peaceful death. This academic article aims to present the common physical symptoms experienced by terminally ill patients, the role of nurses in physical symptom management, and the barriers to this role, in order to provide valuable information for the effective care of terminally ill patients.
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