Enhancing palliative care through Watson's carative factors.

Palliative care is aimed at alleviating the suffering of patients with terminal illnesses. As more patients make the decision to die at home, community palliative care has become an alternative to hospitalization. The literature was examined in relation to the needs of terminally ill patients in the community and their families to determine their priority needs. Patients were found to have physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs, while families had needs in relation to the physical care of their loved ones, as well as information and psychosocial needs. The use of Watson's theory of human caring, and in particular her carative factors, was found to be an appropriate nursing model to direct palliative care nurses in meeting the needs of both patients and their families.