Expertise from specialists in both dementia
care and palliative care needs to be combined if
patients are to be provided with the best possible
end-of-life care. When consulted, SPC nurses
must have the necessary knowledge and experi-
ence to be able to provide evidence-based advice
and recommendations. Further research is
required to identify and address areas of contro-
versy. This research will provide a more extensive
body of evidence on which guidelines could be
formulated. These guidelines could act as means
to assist in the decision-making process when
SPC nurses encounter the various different dilem-
mas that are posed in caring for patients with
dementia. The guidelines would also be helpful in
the education and specialist training of staff.