Death is an unavoidable element of the world we live in. Just as we spontaneously enter life, we must spontaneously quit it whenever our bodies succumb to old age and disease. In light of this, it is critical to note that individuals are dying every day, frequently as a result of medicine's unwillingness to do anything more to save their lives. Such individuals, even if they are on a clear route to death, are entitled to hospice care, if for no other reason than to ensure that they die with dignity. Patients on their death beds have several dire needs fulfilled by nurses as they are often unable to accomplish such tasks for themselves. This includes regular administration of pain-relieving drugs, as well as psychological, philosophical and spiritual concerns of the person.
Hospice care, developed in the 60s as a means of providing care to patients with advanced cancer, was extended later on to cover all patients dealing with terminal illnesses. Nurses who carry out hospice care are mandated to manage the amount of physical pain, as well as emotional distress which patients endure during their last days on earth. Aksoy Derya and Pasinliglu (2015) cite that the nurse is mandated first and foremost to alleviate any such causes of discomfort as pain and emotional distress experienced by most patients. Casimiro et al. (2016) explicate that the efforts aimed at providing a dignified death for terminal patients is both noble, and synonymous with the fundamental principles of nursing and ought to be supported in every way. This paper seeks to explore the field that is hospice nursing, both from a literary point of view, as well as from a pragmatic, and ethical one.
