International journal of palliative nursing最新文献

Background: Nutrition in palliative care is vital for improving the quality of life for chronically ill people. In this context, nurses aid in bridging the gap between palliative care and nutrition by furthering their knowledge and competencies and, ultimately, providing quality care to patients.

Aim: This study aims to analyse nurses' attitudes and knowledge on nutrition in the palliative setting.

Methods: This scoping review was conducted by following Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines during the months of May-June 2024.

Results: Nurses can promote high-quality holistic care through ongoing education. Nutritional interventions, evaluation scales and tools and symptom management, can prevent malnutrition and reduce complications. Nurses and key members of the care team are responsible for assessing nutritional needs, managing symptoms and providing personalised interventions to enhance comfort and reduce distress.

Conclusions: In conclusion, a patient-centered approach with evidence-based nutritional interventions ensures dignified and compassionate care during this period of care.

Background: Preparing nursing students to care for children with a life-limiting illness is challenging for two main reasons: misconceptions about the breadth of services provided by a children's hospice and limited placement capacity for such services.

Aims: This paper examines the development and value of a virtual children's hospice placement for children's nursing students and learning disability nursing students.

Methods: A total of 40 nursing students undertook a week's virtual placement in a children's hospice. The innovative virtual placement used a national evidence-based model-Peer Enhanced e-Placement (PEEP) within a UK children's hospice. It was evaluated through pre- and post-placement surveys.

Findings: Findings suggest that this e-placement, developed collaboratively between a children's hospice and a higher education institution enhanced student knowledge, skills and confidence.

Conclusion: E placements, such as the one described here, can increase placement capacity alongside enhancing students' knowledge, skills and confidence.

Background: In oncology, hope and cure are deeply linked. Hope helps patients endure treatment uncertainty, while cure remains the ultimate goal. Yet cancer diagnosis and treatment reshape how patients perceive this link as 'hope for cure'.

Aims: This study explores how newly diagnosed oncology patients perceive 'hope for cure' during treatment phases.

Methods: A descriptive qualitative research design was employed. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were carried out with 13 participants, who were chosen through purposive sampling. The collected data were then examined using conventional content analysis.

Findings: Four main categories and were identified labeled as 'embracing independence', 'revolutionising mindset', 'support network' and 'nurturing self-belief'.

Conclusion: This study explores how newly diagnosed cancer patients view 'hope for a cure' through independence, resilience, self-belief and support-showing hope as an active process built through daily experiences, not just medical outcomes.

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) is increasingly used in palliative care for bedside assessment and symptom management. Despite their integral role in patient care registered nurses (RNs) rarely receive training or use PoCUS in practice.

Aims: To evaluate the feasibility of training palliative care RNs to perform PoCUS exams and expand access to bedside imaging.

Methods: RNs at a local residential hospice and outpatient clinic were trained in PoCUS for urinary retention, ascites and IV access through didactic and hands-on sessions. Data included scan logs, satisfaction surveys and RN feedback.

Findings: RNs successfully performed PoCUS for bladder and ascites assessments, enabling timely interventions and reducing hospital visits. Patient and family satisfaction was high, and RNs reported increased confidence and interest in further training.

Conclusion: Training RNs in PoCUS is feasible and enhances palliative care delivery by supporting timely, appropriate interventions at the bedside.

Background: While palliative care education has been integrated into the nursing curriculum in Ghana, there remains a scarcity of research that assesses the knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate nursing students toward palliative care and care of the dying.

Aim: This study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate nursing students regarding palliative care.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used, including a questionnaire-based survey. A total of 272 undergraduate nursing students were selected through convenience sampling.

Results: Most respondents demonstrated poor PC knowledge. Most students exhibited positive attitudes towards palliative care. Factors significantly associated with PC knowledge included being an older student (p=.028) and female gender (p=.038). Positive attitudes towards PC were significantly influenced by experiencing the death of a patient during clinical placement (p=.036), female gender (p=.001), and academic level (fourth year; p=.032).

Conclusions: The study revealed that the nursing students who participated had a positive attitude towards palliative care but poor knowledge.

Background: Many older patients with advanced chronic illnesses have not experienced a peaceful end of life in China.

Aim: To explore the barriers to peaceful end-of-life care for older patients with advanced chronic illnesses from the perspectives of male nurses.

Methods: A qualitative study was used. Ten male nurses in Guiyang City who met the inclusion criteria participated in individual interviews via telephone with audio recording. The interview transcriptions were analysed by using the content analysis method. Trustworthiness was established by following Lincoln and Guba's criteria.

Findings: Barriers to peaceful end-of-life care include not prioritising end-of-life care; not respecting the patient's autonomy to die; not having a comfortable caring environment for dying; family caregivers' lack of knowledge and experience in end-of-life care; and traditional and cultural beliefs regarding death and painkillers.

Conclusion: The findings need to be given due consideration to improve the quality of peaceful end-of-life care for older patients with advanced chronic illnesses.

Background: The extent of involvement of family caregivers in Ghana ranges from giving physical care and emotional support to making medical decisions and liaising with healthcare professionals.

Methods: This study used a descriptive exploratory qualitative methodology grounded in ethnographic theory. Data were collected through observations and interviews with 20 unpaid informal caregivers following a purposeful sampling recruitment. Semi-structured in-depth interviews, lasting 45 to 80 minutes, were conducted at home and on hospital premises, focusing on caregivers' involvement and the support services they received. Data were transcribed, translated and analysed using thematic analysis principles.

Results: The study found that caregivers were predominately female. Male caregivers were typically brothers, spouses or sons. Two primary themes emerged: the extent of caregiver involvement and the reasons for family involvement. Caregivers, despite their central roles in decision-making and extensive physical and emotional support, faced communication challenges with healthcare teams. These challenges, coupled with their moral and family obligations, underscore the complexity of their role.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the critical role of family caregivers in the care of terminally ill patients and the diverse motivations behind their involvement. It is imperative that healthcare professionals, researchers and policymakers, recognise and support the vital contributions of family caregivers. This recognition and support are not only essential for improving palliative care outcomes, but also for ensuring the well-being of these caregivers.

Background: Preparation for the death of a family member is a key part of a transition into a caregiving role for family caregivers.

Aim: To understand the experience of family caregivers preparing for the death of a significant other with a chronic disease.

Methods: Grounded theory was used, and the participants were family caregivers of a person in the process of dying. The sample was obtained by theoretical saturation and an analysis was carried out through open, axial and selective coding.

Findings: Four categories were identified as part of the family caregiver's preparation for the death of their family member: encounter with the disease, the caregiver relationship, the departure and new meanings.

Conclusion: Preparing for the death of a loved one can be described as a roller coaster of emotions with many ups and downs. Preparing for this grief can be helpful for some people, but many participants said that they still felt unprepared.