Why you should read this article:

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To recognise the vital role of nurses in providing palliative and end of life care to people with advanced disease

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To recognise the signs that suggest a person with advanced disease may be approaching the end of life

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To enhance your knowledge of how to manage some of the common physical, psychological and emotional symptoms of people with advanced disease at the end of life

All nurses and healthcare workers have a vital role in caring for people with a life-limiting prognosis. The importance of this role was accentuated during the widespread loss of life resulting from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This article revisits the crucial role of nurses in the care of people with advanced disease, while outlining how nurses can provide evidence-based palliative and end of life care. The author explores some of the essential elements of symptom management in advanced disease and presents a series of short case studies to support nurses’ critical reflection.