Preparation and Care at the Time of Death: Content of the ELNEC Curriculum and Teaching Strategies

Nurses are exposed to death across the lifespan ranging from stillbirths to neonatal deaths to deaths of children, adolescents, or adults from trauma or various acute or chronic illnesses. To provide quality care at the end of life, nurses must not only possess the knowledge and skills to provide effective end-of-life care, but must also develop the attitudes and interpersonal competence to provide compassionate care. The purpose of this article is to present the key content and teaching strategies related to preparation and care at the time of death based on the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) curriculum. As nurses are educated regarding end-of-life care in undergraduate nursing curriculums and through continuing education programs, the expectation is that quality care will be provided and the suffering of patients and families alleviated. Clearly, nurses play a key role in improving the care of the dying in America.