Palliative care nursing. Part 2. Addressing bereavement issues through education.

Nurses working in acute care often have to support people who have experienced a bereavement. It is important that nurses understand the issues that arise during this delicate time so that they can confidently administer the appropriate care and support. This article describes how Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust developed a programme to enhance the quality of nursing care given to dying patients and their relatives. It focused particularly on instances of sudden and unexpected death and aimed to develop nurses' reflective specialist knowledge, skills and attitudes. Evaluation has shown that the programme has increased nurses' confidence in providing support to the bereaved and in this way the project has improved the services offered by the trust.