Question

Discuss what nurses, acting as change agents and/or a political body, can do to improve knowledge of and access to palliative care in developing countries. ( Answer in Approx 250 words).

Answer 1

According to the report published by WHO, around 50 million people die every year, in which the majority of the death has been reported in developing countries. HIV and Cancer frame the leading cause of death in these countries where the people receive undignified and painful death with a shorter lifespan. Thus, here comes the importance of palliative care which emphasis on providing support, care and comfort to the terminally ill patients.

The concept of Palliative care is to provide the best quality of service and comfort to the dying patient as well as to their family. This includes spiritual support, physical care, psychological and emotional support, pain management, enabling to see death as a normal process, supporting family members in bereavement after death etc.

The scope of the nurse as a change agent, can contribute the importance of palliative care in developing countries. The few include providing training to the active professional member of the palliative care structure, giving health education on the community basis, approach the local bodies and politicians to attain the support and help to establish more palliative care centres for the public etc.

• Providing training to the staffs will enable the professionals to understand and care according to the patient need. This constitutes scientific approach towards the patient and towards the family. They receive enough knowledge regarding the disease condition, the stages of the disease condition, end life support etc
• Giving health education regarding the terminally ill diseases, such as HIV and Cancer, helps to remove the myth among the population. Cancer and HIV can be treated with dignity and can live a normal to an extent. the information providing based on the HIV can break the barrier of the society and family members towards the victim. Provide education regarding the cause of transfer, control and mode of transfer, also conduct interactive sessions on topics such as discrimination and stigma towards HIV patients.
• The pain management has to be taught to the palliative workers. The thorough knowledge regarding which pain medicine to be given and to what extent should be explained. Pain is a primary symptom shown HIV patients as well as in cancer patient. This requires proper training and awareness among the health professional.
• Approaching the ruling parties and governing bodies to expand the availability of palliative care in every districts and state. In Most of the developing countries, the private bodies are handling palliative care. There is less or no support and cooperation from the governing bodies. As a change agent, a nurse can advocate for the need and importance of palliative care to all through political help.
• Advocate for the development of national policies towards palliative care. This will open the windows to the people who are in need of end life support care and will help to remove the prejudice towards chronic illness

Serious education and awareness in clinical, education and administration level are important because the leaders still believe in developing countries, that the palliative care is a luxury, where the country is struggling to provide the basic care to the people. The non-flexible and hierarchical in the organisation bodies limits the growth and acceptance of new care in health field in developing countries.