Optimising nursing’s contribution to quality end of life care in Australia

The continued growth in demand for palliative care means that achieving a vision for quality care for all Australians at end of life will require that increasing attention will be given to building the contribution that nurses make to quality end of life care in Australia. There are both risks and opportunities associated with these changes. The capacity of the nursing workforce to respond to the demands of the future will require that nurses critically examine traditional roles and practices, build on those traditions that clearly demonstrate improved outcomes for our communities, while at the same time develop innovative solutions to meet future challenges.