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Supporting cancer patients with palliative care needs: district nurses' role perceptions
Jane Griffiths1, Gail Ewing, Margaret Rogers
1School of Nursing Midwifery and Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. jane.griffiths@manchester.ac.uk
Cancer Nursing
|April 7, 2007
Summary
UK district nurses perceive their role in early palliative cancer care as ambiguous, facing challenges with confidence and skills. Addressing these dilemmas is key to improving patient support at home.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Nursing
- Palliative Care
Background:
- Cancer patients are living longer, increasing the need for home-based palliative care.
- District nurses are the primary UK workforce for cancer care at home.
- The supportive role of district nurses in early palliative care is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore UK district nurses' perceptions of their role in supporting palliative care cancer patients.
- To identify challenges faced by district nurses in providing early palliative support.
Main Methods:
- Conducted semistructured interviews with 34 district nurses.
- Thematically analyzed interview data using Atlas/ti software.
Main Results:
- A dominant theme was ambiguity in the district nurses' supportive role during early palliative care.
- District nurses expressed difficulty articulating their support and identified lack of confidence and skill deficits.
- Dilemmas arising from these challenges hinder the realization of district nurses' potential in palliative care.
Conclusions:
- District nurses have significant potential to meet palliative care needs, but this is currently unrealized.
- Addressing the practical dilemmas and tensions faced by district nurses is crucial for advancing practice.
- Education alone is insufficient; understanding and resolving work-related challenges are essential for improving care.
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