Implementation and evaluation of a palliative and end-of-life care peer-learning initiative

Palliative care aims to improve quality of life for patients with a life-limiting illness through relief from pain and other symptoms. It neither hastens nor postpones death and integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care (World Health Organization (WHO), 2020). End-of-life care involves the treatment, care and support for people who are nearing the end of their life and is part of palliative care (Marie Curie, 2018).

The author, a member of the palliative care team at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT), took up a Macmillan Educator post, sponsored by Macmillan, originally as a 2-year end-of-life education nurse project. The author developed a WSFT Integrated Learning in Palliative Care (ILPC) model. As part of this, a research study was organised, comprising 1-week shadow placements between services for six registered nurses (RNs) based at WSFT's Macmillan unit and six RNs based at St Nicholas Hospice Care's (SNHC) Sylvan ward. The hospice is situated within the hospital grounds in Bury St Edmunds, although separate from the main hospital. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate a peer-learning initiative for RNs working in both acute wards and palliative care settings. An action research approach was used, which allowed the RNs taking part to give feedback from their own nursing practice perspective, when working with palliative care patients and those requiring end-of-life care. This article focuses primarily on the evaluation of end-of-life care practice.