Practice nurses often get to know their patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) very well. Over the years, they have attended for reviews, flu injections
and when they have exacerbations. Nurses get to know their families as well as the
patient, and it can be hard to observe the inevitable deterioration as the condition
progresses. This article will outline some of the key issues for practice nurses when their patients
start to have frequent hospital admissions or cannot attend the surgery for reviews. Has their
condition become palliative, and what can practice nurses contribute to their care?
