Analysis of symptom assessment and management content in nursing textbooks

This article reports on one goal of a project designed to improve end-of-life (EOL) care in nursing education. The goal was to improve the content regarding pain and EOL care included in major textbooks used in nursing education. A descriptive study design was selected using content analysis of 50 texts selected from a potential of over 700 texts. The 50 texts included 45,683 pages. The text review was conducted using an analysis framework encompassing 9 essential areas of EOL care. The study methods included content analysis as well as quantification of the content present in the texts. The 9 areas of the analysis framework were: palliative care defined; quality of life; pain; other symptom assessment/management; communication with dying patients and families; role/needs of family caregivers in EOL care; death; issues of policy, ethics, and law; and bereavement. This article reports on the findings of the analysis related to symptom assessment/management. Nursing texts have limited content on symptom assessment and management. Increased attention to this area, a critical role of nursing, is essential to improved care for patients at EOL.