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Oncology nurses' personal understandings about palliative care
Margaret M Mahon1, William J McAuley
1School of Nursing, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA. mmahon@gmu.edu
Oncology Nursing Forum
|May 5, 2010
Summary
Oncology nurses often limit palliative care to end-of-life symptom management, potentially restricting access for cancer patients who could benefit. Education is crucial to broaden understanding and improve palliative care delivery.
Area of Science:
- Oncology Nursing
- Palliative Care
- Cancer Care
Background:
- Palliative care is essential for improving quality of life in cancer patients.
- Understanding oncology nurses' perspectives on palliative care is vital for optimizing its delivery.
- Current definitions and applications of palliative care by nurses may be suboptimal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore oncology nurses' definitions of palliative care.
- To assess nurses' views on eligibility criteria for palliative care.
- To understand nurses' beliefs regarding palliative care decision-making processes.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 oncology nurses.
- Interviews explored definitions, eligibility, and decision-making in palliative care.
- Verbatim transcripts underwent rigorous qualitative analysis to identify key themes.
Main Results:
- Nurses primarily defined palliative care by symptom management.
- Many nurses equated palliative care with hospice, restricting it to end-of-life.
- Nurses perceived their role in palliative care decisions as limited and indirect.
Conclusions:
- Oncology nurses' limited understanding of palliative care may restrict access for eligible cancer patients.
- Enhanced education and continuous quality improvement are necessary to overcome barriers.
- Sustained change is needed to ensure appropriate palliative care is provided to all who can benefit.
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