Dissertation Proposal: Nurses in Palliative Care

This dissertation proposal investigates the role and impact of nurses in caring for cancer patients in palliative care settings in the UK, focusing on a case study of Marie Curie Cancer Care. It aims to analyze the roles of nurses, assess the influence of nursing interventions, and determine the approaches to providing palliative care in this setting.

Dissertation Proposal

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
1.1 Overview of dissertation........................................................................................................3
1.2 Aim of dissertation.................................................................................................................3
1.3 Objectives of dissertation.......................................................................................................4
1.4 Dissertation questions............................................................................................................4
1.5 Purpose of the study...............................................................................................................4
1.6 Significance of Dissertation...................................................................................................5
1.7 Ethical consideration.............................................................................................................5
1.8 Time scale..............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................8

TOPIC: An investigation of the role and impact of nurses in caring for cancer patients in
palliative care settings in the UK – A case study on Marie Curie Cancer Care.
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview of dissertation
Cancer refers to the disease that involves abnormal growth of cells with potential to
spread or invade to other body parts. In this, abnormal cells are divide uncontrollably and destroy
tissues of body. Cancer disease begins when genetic transformations interfere with this
systematic process. Cells are begin to grow uncontrollably and forms a mass of tumor (How
Cancer Begins, 2018). Cancer is divided into 4 main types on the basis of where it begins. These
includes Carcinomas, Sarcomas, Leukemias and Lymphomas. They carefully monitor physical
conditions of patient, prescribe them medication and provide chemotherapy and some other
treatments to them. In nursing, oncology is the most challenging as well as rewarding field. In
the treatment of cancer, role of an oncology nurse is to advocate for sufferers and their family
and treat an individual, not just cancer. Palliative nurse is the nurse with advanced skills to treat
people with life threatening illness. Primary care services are provided by them to patients with
terminal diagnosis (Abarshi and et. al., 2014). The impact of nurse in caring of cancer patient is
high as they highly contributes in improving the outcomes of patient. In delivering best possible
healthcare, oncology nurses play crucial role. Under this research, a case study on Marie Curie
Cancer Care is taken. It is a registered charitable firm in United Kingdom that provides support
and care to individuals with terminal health problem and their families. The hospital actively
promotes quality life for patients by providing much needed support to them. This research
discusses about cancer patients in palliative care setting in UK and role and impact of nurses in
their caring. Various roles and responsibilities of cancer care nurses are defined and impact of
nursing interventions in treatment of cancer is discussed in this research (Kent and et. al., 2016).
1.2 Aim of dissertation
Aim refers to the purpose or intention of attaining something. Main aim of this
dissertation is “To investigate the role and impact of nurses in caring for cancer patients in
palliative care settings in the UK”. A case study on Marie Curie Cancer Care.

1.3 Objectives of dissertation
Objectives is defined as the particular steps that will be taken by investigator to attain the
desired results. It is very necessary that objectives of dissertation should be clear as the entire
research is based on it (Ferrell, Coyle and Paice, 2014). On the basis of these, researcher carry
forward its further investigation on the particular topic. In order to get right solution of issue, it is
essential that objectives are clearly and specifically define. If the objectives are not right, the
entire dissertation goes wrong. So, investigator needs to carefully frame objectives of
dissertation. The main objectives of this dissertation are as follows:
 To analyse the role of nurses in caring for cancer patients.
 To assess the influence of nursing intervention in caring for cancer patients.
 To determine the approaches of providing palliative care to cancer patients in Marie
Curie Cancer Care Centre.
1.4 Dissertation questions
Dissertation questions are those for which investigator is performing research in order to
find out the most appropriate solutions. This research also helps in future for doing more deeper
analysis on this particular topic. The main questions of this dissertation are defined as follows:
Q1) What are the roles of nurses in caring for cancer patients?
Q2) What is the influence of nursing intervention in caring for cancer patients?
Q3) What are the approaches of providing palliative care to cancer patients in Marie Curie
Cancer Care Centre?
1.5 Purpose of the study
Purpose refers to the reason behind creation or existence of something. It is the motive for
which something is created or done. The main purpose of this dissertation is to analyse the role
of nurse in providing care to cancer patients, influence of nursing intervention in caring for
cancer sufferers and to determine various approaches of providing palliative care to cancer
patients in Marie Curie Cancer Care Centre. Nurses play crucial role in providing proper care to
individuals who are suffering from cancer disease (Abarshi and et. al., 2014). They monitor
physical condition of patient and provide them medications and therapies in order to improve the
condition of patient. The main goal behind offering care is to improve quality of life of patient in
palliative care as well as their family.

1.6 Significance of Dissertation
This dissertation is very significant in analysing the role of nurses and influence of
nursing intervention in caring for cancer patients. It also assists in determining several
approaches of providing palliative care ton patients suffering from cancer. Nursing care must be
planned to promote comfort of patient, provide them and their families with appropriate
information related to controlling pain, assistance with physical and behavioural interventions
alleviate and prevent side effects of therapies and promote patient abidance with therapy as well
as required follow up (Antunes and et. al., 2014) Oncology nurses are proximally involved with
various supportive care problems encountered by cancer sufferer and their family. The role of
oncology nurse differs from intensive care focus of transplantation of bone marrow to
community care focus of screening, diagnose and prevention of cancer (Role of the Oncology
Nurse, 2003). The impact of nursing intervention on caring for cancer patients is high. It helps in
improving the condition of patient and providing them quality of life. In health care team,
oncology nurses play crucial part as they works in all prospects of cancer care. They integrate
their scientific knowledge, technical skills and caring attitude to facilitate those suffering from
cancer (Back and et. al., 2014).
1.7 Ethical consideration
In dissertation, ethical considerations are critical. It includes the standards and norms that
helps in distinguishing between what is right and wrong. This assists in distinguishing between
unacceptable and acceptable behaviour. During doing dissertation, it is imperative for
investigator to consider the ethical issues. It is required by the investigator to keep data
confidential which is collected from respondents. This collected data can only be used by
authorized person.
1.8 Time scale
Time scale refers to the time taken by researcher for doing sequence of activities in
dissertation. It is an arrangement of events utilized as a measure of absolute or relative duration
or antiquity of cosmic time. For the events, timescale is the length of time when it happens.

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REFERENCE
Abarshi, E.A. and et. al., 2014. The complexity of nurses' attitudes and practice of sedation at the
end of life: a systematic literature review. Journal of pain and symptom management. 47(5).
pp.915-925.
Antunes, B. and et. al., 2014. Implementing patient-reported outcome measures in palliative care
clinical practice: a systematic review of facilitators and barriers. Palliative medicine. 28(2).
pp.158-175.
Back, A.L. and et. al., 2014. Clinician roles in early integrated palliative care for patients with
advanced cancer: A qualitative study. Journal of palliative medicine. 17(11). pp.1244-1248.
Kent, E.E. and et. al., 2016. Caring for caregivers and patients: research and clinical priorities for
informal cancer caregiving. Cancer. 122(13). pp.1987-1995.
Ferrell, Coyle and Paice, 2014. Oxford textbook of palliative nursing. Oxford University Press.
Online
How Cancer Begins, 2018. [Online]. Available through: https://www.cancer.net/navigating-
cancer-care/cancer-basics/what-cancer
Role of the Oncology Nurse, 2003.[Online]. Available through:
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK13570/>
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