title: Compassion and care at the end of life: oncology nurses' experiences in South-East Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  End of life (EOL) care is newly established in the Iranian context. Context, in this case, refers to the internal and external manifestation of the nurse values, norms and experiences that are learnt throughout life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to explore nurses' experiences of caring for dying patients in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  A phenomenological hermeneutic approach, influenced by the philosophy of Ricoeur, was used to analyse 10 oncology nurses' experiences of caring for dying persons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three themes emerged from the analysis: 1) seeing the patient as unique person, 2) being present and open to seeing patients as unique persons and 3) personal and professional development as a result of closeness between nurse and patient. Caring for dying persons means assisting them at the end of their lives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caring relationships underlie professional palliative care and are essential in EOL care. Proper palliative education and professionally led supervision should be included in the Iranian nursing curriculum.
authors.affiliation: Phd Nursing Student, Nursing Research center, Razi Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahnaz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghaljeh
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Kerman Research Centre, Razi School Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Sedigheh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iranmanesh
authors.affiliation: Professor, Tehran, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nahid Dehghan
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Nayeri
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Kerman Neuroscience Research Center and neuropharmacology institute, Razi Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Batool
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tirgari
authors.affiliation: Assistant professor, Department of Medicine at Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Behjat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kalantarri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004506:Education, Nursing; D004645:Empathy; D064946:Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009726:Nurses; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013727:Terminal Care
keywords: End-of-life care; Iran; Nursing; Phenomenology