Communication in Palliative Nursing

Communication in Palliative Nursing unites complementary work in communication studies and nursing research to present a theoretically grounded curriculum for teaching palliative care communication to nurses. The chapters outline the COMFORT curriculum, comprised of these elements: Communication, Orientation and opportunity, Mindful presence, Family, Openings, Relating, and Team communication. Central to this curriculum is the need for nurses to practice self-care.

Based on a narrative approach to communication, which addresses communication skills development holistically, this volume teaches nurses to consider a holistic model of communication that aligns with the holistic nature of palliative care. This work moves beyond the traditional and singular view of the nurse as patient and family teacher, to embrace more complex communication challenges present in palliative care -- namely, providing care and comfort through communication at a time when patients, families, and nurses themselves are suffering. In addition to collaborating with physicians, the nurse's role involves speaking with patients and families after they have received bad news and often extends to discussions of spiritual and religious concerns. This book covers communication theory, clinical tools, and teaching resources to help nurses enhance their own communication and create comfort for themselves, as well as for patients and their families.

Elaine Wittenberg-Lyles is Associate Professor at Markey Cancer Center, College of Communication, University of Kentucky. She holds a PhD in Communication from the University of Oklahoma, and her research focuses on interdisciplinary communication and collaboration among hospice and palliative care teams. In 2010, she was named the Lewis Donohew Outstanding Scholar in Health Communication. With Joy Goldsmith, Sandra L. Ragan, and Sandra Sanchez-Reilly, she co-authored Communication as Comfort: Multiple Voices in Palliative Care and Dying in Comfort: Family Illness Narratives and Early Palliative Care. She has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and is an active member of the Telehospice Project, comprised of an interdisciplinary research team of academics (in social work, bioinformatics, and communication), developing interventions in hospice care.

Joy Goldsmith is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Young Harris College and has been conducting research on communication and illness, specifically in the context of hospice and palliative care, for the last 8 years. She holds a PhD in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Her numerous publications in clinical and communication journals address medical school curricula, nursing training in communication, team-based communication in health care, and family caregiver communication.

Betty Ferrell is Professor and Research Scientist at the City of Hope Medical Center in Los Angeles. She has worked in oncology nursing for 35 years and has focused her clinical expertise and research in pain management, quality of life, and palliative care. She is also Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and has over 300 publications in peer-reviewed journals and texts. She has authored or co-authored eight books, including the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Nursing, The Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Nursing, and Making Health Care Whole: Integrating Spirituality into Patient Care.

Sandra L. Ragan is Professor Emerita in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma. Serving at the University of Oklahoma between 1983-2006, she held the positions of Director of Graduate Studies, Chair of the Department of Communication, and Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. She has co-authored six scholarly books and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles. Her published work focuses on language in social interaction, particularly in the context of health communication and women's health.