Core principles of end of life care

The Office of National Statistics (2019) reported 541,589 deaths in England and Wales in 2018, and increase of 1.6% compared to 2017, and an overall increase in the number of annual deaths since 1999. With an ageing population and incidence in long term conditions, there will be a growing emphasis on the provision of end of life care. Having an understanding of what is meant by the term end of life is important, as it is imperative that nurses and health care professionals understand the defining characteristics so that they can recognise and respond to the patients needs in a timely manner. The terms end of life care, palliative care and terminal care are introduced, and the Five priorities of Care ( Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People, 2014) is used as a framework for identifying key considerations relating to the role of the nurse.