Preparing nurses for palliative care in long term care: An integrative review.

BACKGROUND: With the aging population, there is an increased need for nurses with competence in chronic illness and palliative care management particularly in long-term care settings. The incorporation of palliative care education in nursing curricula has been explored previously. PURPOSE: This review aimed to appraise the current literature on the state of palliative care education in academia and how it impacts the preparedness of nurses to enter long-term care post-graduation. There has not been an integrative review exploring curriculum-based palliative care education for long-term care. METHOD: This review was guided by the method of Whittemore and Knafl using critical appraisal tools. The CINAHL, Cochrane, EBSCO, ERIC, Journals@Ovid, Medline, PsycINFO, and ScienceDirect databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature from 2017 to 2022. RESULTS: Sixteen items met the search criteria for appraisal, and 11 items were retained for discussion. CONCLUSION: There is a gap in nursing curricula in preparing nurses for the situations faced by long-term care nurses. Long-term care nurses develop strong bonds with residents and families and often lack time, space, and resources to cultivate the confidence and competence as palliative situations arise. More research is needed to determine the best placement in nursing programs for palliative-based long-term care education.

Core Palliative Care Competencies for Undergraduate Nursing Education: International Multisite Research Using Online Nominal Group Technique.

Background: Nurses should have appropriate education and required competencies to provide high-quality palliative care. The aim of this international multisite study was to list and evaluate core palliative care competencies that European nurses need to achieve in their education to provide palliative care. Methods: The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was used as a data collection method. NGT meetings were organized in four European countries. Targeted groups of palliative care professionals with diverse contextual and professional backgrounds participated in the NGTs. The research question was: "What are the core competencies in palliative care that need to be achieved during undergraduate nursing education?" Data analysis was done in two stages: grouping the top 10 answers based on similarities and thematic synthesis based on all the ideas produced during the NGTs. Results: Palliative care core competencies based on the research were (1) competence in the characteristics of palliative care; (2) competence in decision-making and enabling palliative care; (3) symptom management competence in palliative care; (4) competence in holistic support in palliative care; (5) active person- and family-centered communication competence in palliative care; (6) competence in empathy in palliative care; (7) spiritual competence in palliative care; (8) competence in ethical and legal issues in palliative care; (9) teamwork competence in palliative care; and (10) self-awareness and self-reflection competence in palliative care. Conclusions: It was possible to find differences and similarities in the top 10 palliative care core competencies from different countries. Thematic synthesis of all the data showed that there were various competencies needed for nursing students to provide quality palliative care.

Reimagining a children's palliative care educational programme for registered nurses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Children with life-limiting conditions are a unique population with multiple health and social care needs. Key literature indicates the need for education to support registered nurses providing care, including palliative care, to these children. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a palliative care programme was converted to an online programme, adopting a blended approach between national and regional facilitators. OBJECTIVES: To assess nurses' satisfaction with a re-designed palliative care programme centred around the care of children with life-limiting conditions, including their perceptions of the online format. DESIGN AND METHODS: A descriptive correlational design and online survey was used to explore the participants' perception of the content and online delivery of the Care of the Child with a Life-Limiting Condition programme. Nine sessions, comprised of five national and four regional webinars, were delivered. RESULTS: Attendees registered (n = 169) from throughout the Republic of Ireland, with 130 attending all webinars. Attendees stated online delivery of education increased their accessibility to highly qualified experts. The short, concise nature of sessions was well received. Online delivery and recorded sessions contributed to convenience with the ability to access and process information in attendees' own time being welcomed. However, the negative impact of losing face-to-face interactions was noted, including the opportunity to build relationships with colleagues caring for children with life-limiting conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that the redesigned online programme contributed to participants' knowledge, encouraged participation and increased accessibility. An e-Learning model enables specialised education to be more equitable and accessible, ensuring regional areas are not disadvantaged due to geographical remoteness from tertiary educational centres. However, the lack of face-to-face contact was acknowledged as a hindrance to socialisation and networking. When developing future programmes, focus should be put on creating opportunities for networking and social development to compensate for the lack of face-to-face contact.

Iranian nurses' educational needs and competence in palliative cancer care.

AIM: This study was conducted to determine the competence and educational needs of Iranian nurses in the field of palliative cancer care. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was performed on nurses working in oncology departments of hospitals in Kerman, in southeast Iran. The data were collected using nurses' core competence in palliative care inventory and a questionnaire for assessing the educational needs of nurses in the field of palliative cancer care. Pearson correlation coefficient, Independent t-test, ANOVA and Linear regression were used to examine the data. RESULTS: 210 nurses participated in this study and the response rate was 98.13%. The results showed that the mean score of educational needs in palliative cancer care was 3.6±0.7. The highest average score was observed in the mental and psychological (3.83±0.89) dimensions, and the lowest in the social dimension (3.34±0.84). The mean score of nurses' competence in palliative cancer care was 1.78±0.51. The highest mean score was related to interpersonal skills (2.28±0.74), and the lowest mean score belonged to the use of Edmonton symptoms evaluation (1.10±1.27). There was a low significant and inverse correlation between nurses' competence and their educational needs. (P<0.001, r=- 0.242). CONCLUSION: This study showed that Iranian nurses have the need for palliative cancer care training. Therefore, it is necessary to assign a higher priority to the evaluation of the clinical competence and educational needs of nurses in different healthcare centres.

Teaching palliative care skills via simulation-based learning.

BACKGROUND: The scarcity of palliative care (PC) services in Morocco, and their absence in Settat, limits the opportunities for nursing students at the Higher Institute of Health Sciences (HIHS) to benefit from clinical placements. As a consequence of this, most students feel underprepared to care for patients with PC needs. AIM: The purpose of this study is to share a simulation-based learning experience in a PC context and to evaluate the effectiveness of this learning method. METHODS: The simulation experience took place in the simulation centre of the HIHS and involved 20 nursing students in their second year. The main goal of the simulation session was to simulate the support given to patients going through the five stages of grief. A post-simulation survey was conducted to explore the nursing students reflections on this learning experience. FINDINGS: The simulation is recommended as a powerful learning approach to compensate for the lack of PC clinical placements available to nursing students. CONCLUSION: The simulation-based training was an excellent opportunity for nursing students to experience caring for patients in extreme end-of life-situations, which was not possible before due to the lack of specialised PC services.

Palliative care competencies and education needs of nurses and healthcare assistants involved in the provision of supportive palliative care.

BACKGROUND: This paper investigates the palliative care competencies (knowledge, behaviours, attitudes) and education needs of nurses and healthcare assistants (HCAs) who provide supportive (Level 2) palliative care. METHODS: A mixed-methods study using a sequential exploratory design was used, with findings integrated across sources. Qualitative focus groups were conducted in 2018 with a sample of staff (n=11, all female; nurses=4; HCAs=7) providing supportive palliative care in a single service setting. A quantitative survey, also conducted in 2018, explored the issue with a wider sample within the same setting (n=36; nurses=18; HCAs=18; female=32). RESULTS: Qualitatively, communication was highlighted as an important domain of the competence framework, with many participants acknowledging that the ability to communicate effectively is essential. Quantitatively, participants scored in the lower range for competency variables. A significant difference was observed between HCAs and nurses on measures of knowledge (t= -2.718; df=30; p<.05) and behaviour (t=-3.576; df=30; p<.05), with HCAs scoring significantly higher than nurses. In relation to education, while some participants report being indecisive regarding engaging in education/training, others highlighted the benefit of education, especially its ability to impact on their current practice. CONCLUSION: This research contributes to understanding palliative care competencies among nurses and HCAs working in palliative care, and has important implications for the education and training of nurses and HCAs working in Level 2 palliative care in Ireland.

Advancing interprofessional education in communication.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this training project is to develop and host Interprofessional Communication courses to improve interdisciplinary communication in oncology care. The initial national course was held in a virtual format and included pre- and post-course participant data. The curriculum was developed with support from the National Cancer Institute. METHODS: A virtual two-day course was held to equip nurses, social workers, and chaplains with vital communication skills in oncology practice, so that they could return to their home institutions and teach communication skills to other healthcare professionals, with the intention of making improved communication a quality improvement goal. Fifty-two participants were selected through an application process to attend the virtual course in two-person interprofessional teams (e.g., nurse and chaplain, or social worker and nurse). The Interprofessional Communication Curriculum was based on the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care's eight domains of quality palliative care. The six online modules developed by the investigators were presented in lectures, supplemented by discussion groups, role plays, and other methods of experiential learning. RESULTS: Pre- and post-course results identified areas of communication, which are a priority for improvement by oncology clinicians. Participant goals identified specific strategies to be implemented by participants in their settings. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The need for communication training was clearly demonstrated across professions in this national training course. Participants were able to apply course content to their goals for quality improvement in cancer settings.

Palliative Care Education During COVID-19: The MERI Center for Education in Palliative Care at UCSF/Mt. Zion.

In the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the recognition of systemic racism in our institutions, the symptom management, emotional/psychological support and advance care planning at the core of palliative care-once considered "an extra layer of support" -have been revealed as instrumental to individuals, families, communities, and countries facing the threat of the global pandemic. In this article, we outline the primary palliative care education efforts of one palliative care education center (The MERI Center at UCSF/Mt Zion campus) and detail the critical adjustments necessary and opportunities found in the COVID crisis.

Children's palliative care: examination of a nursing rotation programme.

BACKGROUND: An 8-month rotation programme was implemented for five nurses employed in two kinds of children's palliative care environments: hospital wards and hospices. This study reports the views of the nurses completing the rotation. The research drew on appreciative inquiry and involved a pre- and post-rotation interview and questionnaire. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed seven themes: adjusting to the rotation programme; support mechanisms; being safe; new knowledge and skills; knowledge exchange; misconceptions; future plans. These were supported by the questionnaire findings. Although the nurses identified some frustration at having to undertake competency assessments relating to previously acquired skills, as well as being out of their 'comfort zone', all the participants highly recommended the programme. They commented very positively on the support they received and the overall learning experience as well as the new insight into different aspects of care. In addition, they were able to share their newfound knowledge and expertise with others.

Global Integration of Palliative Nursing Education to Improve Health Crisis Preparedness.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has highlighted the need for universal palliative care access. Nurses require palliative care education throughout the trajectory of professional training to effectively achieve this vision. METHOD: Review of the National Consensus Project Clinical Practice Guidelines for Quality Palliative Care and use of educational exemplars highlight opportunities for improving palliative nursing education in academic and clinical settings. RESULTS: Consistently applying palliative care principles affects nursing outcomes across myriad domains of person-centered services. All nurses are responsible for delivering primary palliative care, but they cannot practice what they do not know. The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium Project offers evidence-based education for nursing students and practicing nurses nationally and globally. CONCLUSION: Equipping both nurses and nursing students with palliative care education is critical to improve the overall quality of health care throughout the continuum during COVID-19 and in the face of future health crises. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(3):130-135.].

Development and protocol for a nurse-led telephonic palliative care program.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a profound transformation of health care delivery toward telemedicine models. PURPOSE: We present the structure of a nurse-led telephonic palliative program and operational metrics to influence further development of tele-palliative programs. METHODS: The nurses engage with seriously ill patients for 6 months with the goal of discussing advance care planning (ACP) and addressing self-identified issues related to their illness. FINDINGS: Of the first 100 program graduates, 78% were actively engaged and 51% named a health care agent and/or engaged in ACP. Of the 18 patients who died during the study, 13 (72%) were enrolled in hospice services. DISCUSSION: Our preliminary results indicate that seriously ill patients are willing to engage with nurses and to participate with discussions on ACP. CONCLUSION: Given the gaps in health care exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, this innovative program serves as an important model for bringing palliative care directly to patients.

Learning a palliative care approach during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study in an Infectious Diseases Unit.

BACKGROUND: Hospital palliative care is an essential part of the COVID-19 response, but relevant data are lacking. The recent literature underscores the need to implement protocols for symptom control and the training of non-specialists by palliative care teams. AIM: The aim of the study was to describe a palliative care unit's consultation and assistance intervention at the request of an Infectious Diseases Unit during the COVID-19 pandemic, determining what changes needed to be made in delivering palliative care. DESIGN: This is a single holistic case study design using data triangulation, for example, audio recordings of team meetings and field notes. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: This study was conducted in the Palliative Care Unit of the AUSL-IRCCS hospital of Reggio Emilia, which has no designated beds, consulting with the Infectious Diseases Unit of the same hospital. RESULTS: A total of 9 physicians and 22 nurses of the Infectious Diseases Unit and two physicians of the Palliative Care Unit participated in the study.Our Palliative Care Unit developed a feasible 18-day multicomponent consultation intervention. Three macro themes were identified: (1) new answers to new needs, (2) symptom relief and decision-making process, and (3) educational and training issues. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of palliative care, some changes in usual care needed to be made. These included breaking bad news, patients' use of communication devices, the limited time available for the delivery of care, managing death necessarily only inside the hospital, and relationships with families.

Adquisición de conocimientos en cuidados paliativos mediante un plan de estudios transversal en enfermería / Acquisition of palliative care knowledge through a transversal approach in nursing studies

La implementación de los cuidados paliativos en las universidades ha sido paulatina. Su reciente implantación requiere de su evaluación para la mejora en la formación de nuestros futuros profesionales. Por tanto, el objetivo de este trabajo es valorar el conocimiento en paliativos, en estudiantes de enfermería de la Universidad Jaume I, tras la implementación de un plan de estudios de enseñanza transversal y evaluación mediante una asignatura de carácter obligatorio. MÉTODO: Estudio observacional, de corte transversal, durante el curso académico 2017/2018 mediante la escala Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing. Análisis descriptivo, comparativo de las variables cuantitativas y cualitativas global y según aciertos/errores, significación estadística p-value <0,05. RESULTADOS: La muestra de n=155, edad 22,21±6,61 años, con predominio del sexo femenino en el 80% (n=124). La esfera con mayor número de aciertos fue la relacionada con el control de dolor y los síntomas 69,1% y la esfera con más fallos la relacionada con la filosofía y los principios 46,9%. El conocimiento en paliativos viene explicado en un 16% por el curso académico y con la experiencia previa en paliativos. CONCLUSIONES: Mediante nuestros resultados observamos, que la educación en paliativos desarrollada de forma transversal con la culminación de una asignatura obligatoria en cuarto curso, resulta ser efectiva en estudiantes de enfermería, donde el 63% ostentó una buena tasa de aciertos en conocimientos de paliativos

The inclusion of palliative care content in university curricula has been gradual. Due to the recent incorporation of palliative care as a subject, an evaluation is necessary in order improve the education of our future health professionals. The objective of this study was thus to assess palliative care knowledge in nursing students at Jaume I University after the transversal inclusion of palliative care content throughout the program, culminating in a subject of an obligatory nature. METHOD: This observational cross-sectional study was undertaken over the 2017/2018 academic year using the Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing. A descriptive and comparative analysis of the quantitative and qualitative global variables was performed with respect to correct/incorrect responses. Statistical significance was set at p <0.05. RESULTS: The sample included 155 participants, with a mean age of 22.21±6.61 years. Females (n=124) were predominant in the sample (80%). The domain which received the highest number of correct responses was related to the control of pain and symptoms (69.1%) and the domain which received the highest number of incorrect responses was related to philosophy and principles (46.9%). Academic year and prior palliative care experience explained 16% of the variance in knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Through our results, we observed that palliative care education, implemented in a transversal manner and with the completion of compulsory subject in the fourth year, was effective in nursing students, with 63% achieving good scores with respect to palliative care knowledge

Implementation of a hospice pain-education programme.

BACKGROUND: No studies have explored the pain resource nurse curriculum in the hospice setting. This curriculum offers a structured method to teach pain management to nurses. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of implementing a modified pain resource nurse curriculum on nursing knowledge in a community hospice agency. METHODS: A modified and condensed version of the pain resources nurse curriculum was presented to community hospice nurses during two educational sessions. A pre-test-post-test assessment was conducted using a modified version of the Nursing Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain tool to assess knowledge growth from the educational sessions. FINDINGS: For educational session 1, average correct responses rose slightly from the pre-test to the post-test. However, this increase was not found to be statistically significant. For educational session 2, average correct responses rose an average of 2.6 points. This increase was found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this pre-experimental study, there is evidence that the pain resources nurse curriculum can provide an instructional framework for teaching hospice nurses. However, further study is needed, including a more rigorous design.

Knowledge of and willingness to promote advanced care planning among oncology nurses in southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Nurses feature prominently in promoting advance care planning (ACP), but only a limited amount of relevant research has been conducted from the nurses' viewpoint, and little is known about the nurses' knowledge of and their willingness to promote ACP in China. AIMS: The aims of this study were to investigate oncology nurses' knowledge of and their willingness to promote ACP, and to explore associated factors. METHODS: A multi-centre study was conducted to investigate 350 nurses in the oncology departments of four university hospitals in southwestern China. Cluster sampling was used in data collection, which involved three categories of questionnaires concerning demographic characteristics, knowledge about ACP and willingness to promote ACP. Chi-squared tests and multiple linear regression were employed in data analysis. RESULTS: Some 293 valid questionnaires were collected, among which, 60.1% of respondents never received palliative care education, 89.1% never received training about ACP and 72.7% had not even heard of ACP. Nurses with higher position titles (χ2=18.41, p<0.001) and longer working experience (χ2=12.25, p=0.001) were more likely to have received palliative care education; nurses with higher educational background levels (χ2=12.91, p<0.001), higher position titles (χ2=9.77, p=0.003) and longer working experience (χ2=7.92, p=0.006) were more likely to have learned about ACP; nurses with higher position titles had more access to relevant training (χ2=5.10, p=0.03). Furthermore, whether the nurse had 'heard about ACP' (B=3.113, p=0.018) and 'received training about ACP' (B=3.894, p=0.04) were both associated with their willingness to promote ACP. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicated that oncology nurses were highly inclined to promote ACP, but limited by their lack of knowledge and understanding of it. Therefore, a systematic and adequate training programme about ACP for nurses is an urgent requirement to effectively enhance the implementation of ACP in China.

Palliative care knowledge and self-awareness in active and observing undergraduate nursing students after end-of-life simulation.

AIM: The purpose of this quasi-experimental one-group repeated measure (pre-test/post-test) study was to determine the effect of an end-of-life (EoL) simulation-based experience (SBE) on active and observer nursing students' palliative care knowledge and self-awareness. BACKGROUND: Baccalaureate nursing (BSN) graduates must demonstrate competence in EoL care; however, gaining EoL experience is challenging given constraints on nursing faculty and clinical sites. Research also is needed to determine whether similar outcomes are achieved by active and observer participants after EoL SBE. METHOD: Senior-level BSN students' palliative care knowledge and self-awareness of active and observer participants were measured before and after an EoL SBE. RESULTS: Knowledge and self-awareness increased (P<0.001) post-SBE in all participants, with equivalent post-test scores (P≥0.248) for active (Mattitude=130.1; Mknowledge=80.5) and observer (Mattitude=128.3; Mknowledge=77.9) participants. CONCLUSION: EoL SBE is an effective method for increasing student palliative care competence. Student observers benefit as much as active participants on knowledge and self-awareness outcomes.

Preparing Nurses for Palliative Care in the NICU.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses require knowledge and skill to meet the unique needs of infants and families. Increasingly, principles of palliative care are being integrated into the NICU setting to improve the quality of care. PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to describe the efforts of the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) project and its Pediatric Curriculum, which began in 2003 to provide this education, and to also describe efforts by nurses to implement the training into their practice settings. METHODS: The ELNEC Pediatric Palliative Care (ELNEC-PPC) project is a train-the-trainer educational program and evidence-based curriculum. FINDINGS/RESULTS: Participants attend a course or receive online training and then apply the education to implement improved practices in areas such as symptom management, care at the time of death, and bereavement support for families. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Experiences with ELNEC-PPC have demonstrated that nurses can implement the curriculum to improve care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Continued attention to palliative care in this setting is needed, and future research is needed to evaluate the outcomes of this education and practice change.