Nurses' attitudes and experiences surrounding palliative sedation: components for developing policy for nursing...

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Palliative Care
• Medical Ethics

Background:

• Nurses are vital in managing refractory end-of-life symptoms requiring palliative sedation (PS).
• Limited research exists on nurses' perspectives regarding PS, despite their central role.
• Nurses are key in assessing PS appropriateness and executing care plans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand nurses' views on necessary knowledge and skills for administering PS.
• To inform the development of hospital policies addressing PS concerns.
• To identify key domains for a robust palliative sedation policy.

Main Methods:

• Four focus groups conducted with nurses from oncology, intensive care, and hospice.
• Focus group discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes.
• Grounded theory principles guided the qualitative data analysis.

Main Results:

• Thirty-one nurses participated; most were female, aged 36-55, with over 10 years of experience.
• Five critical domains for a PS policy emerged: definition, criteria, skills, guidelines, and education.
• Nurses emphasized the need for clear definitions, appropriate use criteria, and defined skill sets.

Conclusions:

• Nurses identified knowledge, skills, and guidelines as essential for PS implementation.
• Comprehensive policies and adequate training are necessary to improve PS availability.
• Enhanced education and clear procedural guidelines can support nurses in providing palliative sedation.