Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 1, 2026
Objective Nociceptive Assessment in Ventilated ICU Patients: A Feasibility Study Using Pupillometry and the Nociceptive Flexion Reflex
Published on: July 4, 2018
Instruments for assessing nurses' palliative care knowledge and skills in specialised care setting: An integrative
Anu Soikkeli-Jalonen1, Minna Stolt2, Maija Hupli3
1Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Finland.
Aims And Objectives:
To examine the content and reported psychometric properties of instruments for assessing nurses' palliative care knowledge and skills in specialised healthcare units.
Background:
Knowledge of palliative care, and competence in the delivery of care, is essential. Assessment of competence is an important means of evaluating the knowledge and skills of practitioners in order to improve the quality of care provided for patients and their families.
Design:
An integrative review.
Methods:
A systematic literature search was conducted in November 2018 in five databases: CINAHL, PubMed (Medline), Cochrane, Scopus and Web of Science. The quality assessment was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI) Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. The data were analysed using content analysis. PRISMA guidelines were followed to ensure explicit reporting.
Results:
Overall, 5,413 studies were identified and 23 met the inclusion criteria. Nurses' knowledge and skills, as assessed by the instruments, were as follows: (a) care for the patient, (b) care for the patient's family and (c) professional requirements. Ten instruments were identified assessing nurses' knowledge and skills through knowledge tests and skill evaluation self-tests. The psychometric properties of the instruments were reported to varying degrees, mainly focusing on internal consistency and content validation.
Conclusions:
Nurses' knowledge and skills were seen to contribute to the holistic care of the patient and his or her family, and the possession of adequate information and skills is essential when dealing with death and dying. The instruments are commonly available and potentially reliable, although reliability must be determined with caution, so validation studies in other cultures are recommended.
Relevance To Clinical Practice:
These results could be utilised to improve the quality of palliative care by evaluating the knowledge and skills of nursing staff or when considering the needs of palliative care education.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
01:25Continuing Care
01:22The Professional Nurse
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
01:15Nursing Evaluation
01:15Nursing Implementation
The five steps to implementing effective nursing care include reassessing the patient, reviewing and revising the existing nursing care plan, organizing the resources and care delivery, anticipating and preventing complications, and implementing nursing interventions.
01:29Nursing Interventions II: Selecting and Classifying the Nursing Interventions