District nurses' perceptions of palliative care services: part 2

Area of Science:

• Community health nursing
• Palliative care
• Healthcare services research

Background:

• District nurses (DNs) play a crucial role in delivering palliative care within the community.
• Understanding DNs' perceptions is vital for optimizing palliative care service delivery.
• Previous research identified focus group insights from DNs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate district nurses' perceptions of palliative care services in the community.
• To explore DNs' views on defining palliative care, their roles, communication, service provision, and training needs.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was developed based on literature review and prior focus group data.
• The questionnaire targeted district nursing sisters (n=66) in Northern Ireland.
• Key areas assessed included palliative care definition, roles, communication, service provision, and education.

Main Results:

• District nurses' perceptions of palliative care are dominated by the physical aspects of care.
• The supportive and coordinating roles of DNs in palliative care were also acknowledged.
• Palliative care service provision was deemed adequate, with 24-hour care being highly valued.
• Organizational factors like staffing, resources, and time significantly influenced service delivery.

Conclusions:

• District nurses' palliative care education should encompass both physical and supportive aspects.
• Addressing organizational barriers is crucial for enhancing community palliative care.
• Further research could explore strategies to integrate supportive care more effectively into DN roles.