Meaning Making in Palliative Nursing

A meaning-focused approach to palliative nursing helps patients and their family caregivers make sense of and cope with serious illness. It also helps nurses find meaning and purpose in their work. This orientation to care promotes a sense of connection, creates a framework for difficult conversations, and optimizes clinical care delivery. This article reviews the theoretical foundations of meaning making, describes formal and informal strategies for delivering meaning-focused nursing care, and suggests opportunities for practice improvement. Making meaning in serious illness care can promote diverse benefits for patients, family caregivers, and nurses.