A question of evidence: decision-making in palliative care nursing

Nurses are urged to integrate research evidence into their practice. Current perspectives of evidence-based practice promote a hierarchy of empirical evidence. Notwithstanding the contribution of empirical knowledge, this approach constrains our understanding of the value and contribution of other forms of knowledge. Shifting to a model of 'evidence informed practice', where multiple forms of knowledge are considered and valued, may better reflect the complexities of end-of-life care and offer a fuller understanding of palliative care nursing best practice.