Future palliative competence needs - a qualitative study of physicians' and registered nurses' views

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Healthcare Education
• Nursing and Medical Professional Development

Background:

• Increasing global demand for palliative care due to aging populations and rising disease burdens.
• Need for evidence-based training to equip physicians and registered nurses with essential palliative care competencies.
• Growing complexity of patient needs requires advanced skills in managing end-of-life care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe the future competence requirements for physicians and registered nurses in palliative care.
• To gather insights into the evolving needs of palliative care professionals.
• To inform the development of targeted educational and training programs.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional qualitative study design.
• Data collected via open-ended questionnaires from 54 physicians and 110 registered nurses.
• Inductive content analysis used for data interpretation.

Main Results:

• Four primary future competence needs identified: palliative care integration across services, individualized care competence, person-centered communication skills, and systematic competence development.
• Healthcare professionals highlighted the need for comprehensive training.
• Identified areas for improvement in current palliative care education.

Conclusions:

• Study findings provide a basis for curriculum development and professional enhancement in palliative care.
• Collaboration between palliative care providers and educational institutions is crucial for aligning education with evolving competence needs.
• Recommends utilizing innovative methods like online multi-professional simulations to foster future palliative care competencies.