Empathy at the end of life: how to care without compromising your well-being

Cancer nurse specialist Janie Brown shares her experience of learning self-care and compassion in her new book

• Nurses often feel unprepared to deal with very ill or dying patients, including having discussions about death
• The importance of setting boundaries and practising self-care, and how it can help prevent burnout
• Advice on how to cope and the value of team members’ support when caring for deteriorating or dying patients

Many of us became nurses because of our acute sensitivity to emotion, starting at a young age.

I have been a cancer nurse for almost 40 years. My empathy has been my greatest gift, although the journey has not been easy.