Pressure ulcer prevention is an important aspect of palliative care nursing. This article reports part 1 of the results of a postal questionnaire survey of all 206 palliative care inpatient units listed in the St Christopher's' information service hospice directory. The key areas surveyed were current pressure ulcer prevention policies in use in UK palliative care units and current practice in relation to pressure ulcer risk assessment. Issues arising from these results are also discussed: the key elements of a pressure ulcer policy and the role and timing of pressure ulcer risk assessment.

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This article explores the challenges nurses face when caring for patients with wounds in a palliative care context. Combining the principles of effective wound management with the key elements of holistic, person-centred care will ensure that realistic and patient-focused aims of management are identified. Nurses with effective communication skills can play an important role in supporting patients and their families at a difficult time.

This article explores the challenges nurses face when caring for patients with wounds in a palliative care context. Combining the principles of effective wound management with the key elements of holistic, person-centred care will ensure that realistic and patient-focused aims of management are identified. Nurses with effective communication skills can play an important role in supporting patients and their families at a difficult time.

Within the field of palliative care recent years have seen a marked increase in chaplaincy provision, and a widening debate on how all healthcare professionals have the potential to provide spiritual care. This article gives a summary of a study day that brought together a wide range of healthcare professionals from hospices and hospitals in Scotland to discuss ways to integrate spiritual care and chaplaincy into the current settings and practice of palliative care. It draws conclusions and offers local and national agendas to take initiatives forward and sets challenges for the host organisation The Association of Hospice Chaplains in Scotland