Nursing
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Item Palliative care for patients with heart failure: a cross-sectional study among nursing healthcare professionals(De Gruyter, 2023-01-30) Kmetec, Sergej; Fekonja, Zvonka; Gönc, Vida; McCormack, BrendanBackground: Acute heart failure is a problem that the public healthcare system faces worldwide. Despite improving healthcare systems and the resulting treatment, the disease's incidence and frequency has increased annually. Therefore, patients with acute heart failure often seek help in the emergency room, where nursing health professionals encounter the condition early or late. In the final stages, they need to focus on providing palliative care to such patients. The chapter aims to determine the nursing healthcare professionals' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes towards palliative care in patients with heart failure in the emergency and cardiology departments. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out. The survey took place in August 2019 involving nursing healthcare professionals. Results: Of 104 nurses, 50% (n = 52) had received training in palliative care throughout their education and 7.7% (n = 8) had received additional training. Nursing healthcare professionals in both the emergency and the cardiology departments have similar knowledge about palliative care. With regard to the perception of implementing palliative care, the data shows a statistically significant difference between both departments. Furthermore, statistically significant differences between the emergency and cardiology departments have been found in some statements regarding their attitudes, namely that there remains a need for palliative care in treating patients with heart failure. Discussion and conclusion: We believe that the knowledge of palliative care in the cardiology and emergency departments is good, and that there are no major differences between the knowledge and departments. However, further training is required to improve the healthcare staff's knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes towards palliative care in patients with heart failure. ©2023 the author(s), published by De Gruyter. All rights reserved.Item Nurses' perceptions of early person-centred palliative care: A cross-sectional descriptive study(Wiley, 2019-05-20) Kmetec, Sergej; Štiglic, Gregor; Lorber, Mateja; Mikkonen, Irma; McCormack, Brendan; Pajnkihar, Majda; Fekonja, ZvonkaPalliative care is aimed at improving the quality of life of an individual with chronic noncommunicable disease and their care partners. Limitations in the provision of palliative care are mainly lack of knowledge and experience by nurses, fear of treating palliative persons, loss of control over treatment and fear of providing poor-quality palliative care to persons and care partners. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception, knowledge and attitudes of palliative care by nurses who use palliative care approaches in practice, as well as the difference in perception, knowledge and attitudes of palliative care between nurses in Slovenia and Finland. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study. The survey included 440 nurses in clinical environments in Slovenia and Finland with a completed bachelor, master or doctoral level of education. We found statistically significant differences between both countries in the perception of palliative care. Differences between the two countries in the knowledge of palliative care were not confirmed. We confirmed statistically significant differences between both countries in the attitudes of palliative nursing care. Early person-centred palliative care is an important part of the holistic and integrative treatment of a person who has a disease with disturbing symptoms. For such an approach, it is important to educate nurses about knowledge, expectations, values and beliefs in developing a concept of person-centred palliative care to improve quality of life. The better perception, knowledge and attitudes of palliative care by nurses may help persons to improve and raise their quality of life, as well as diminish stress in their care partners and improve quality of life.Item The impact of implementing an educational intervention to enhance a family-oriented approach in specialised palliative home care: A quasi-experimental study(Wiley, 2018-11-29) Petursdottir, Asta B.; Haraldsdottir, Erna; Svavarsdottir, Erla KolbrunRationale Healthcare providers’ beliefs, attitudes, experiences and knowledge, which guide the care they deliver, are the key factors influencing the quality of palliative care. Education and coaching innovation are needed to translate research outcomes and adopt evidence‐based nursing care into practice. Objectives To evaluate the impact of an advanced educational and coaching programme in a family systems’ nursing approach for palliative care nurses in a home‐care setting. Methods A quasi‐experimental study using qualitative data from open‐ended questions to augment the quantitative outcome study that included a single‐group, pre‐ and post‐test design. A total population sample of nurses was recruited from a specialised palliative home care unit at a university hospital. The study utilised two self‐reported questionnaires. Results There was a statistically significant increase in the nurses’ critical appraisal of clinical nursing practice related to family nursing after participation in the educational programme than before. No statistical difference was found in items related to nurses’ experience of the interaction and reciprocity in the nurse–family relationship after participation in the programme than compared to before or in nurses’ cancer‐related beliefs. However, there was an overall significant positive change found in attitudes towards families in the total score of the Family Practice Scale. Nurses were also more positive about the further development of their knowledge and skills in advanced family nursing evident in the qualitative data. Conclusion An advanced educational intervention programme was successful in improving the nurses’ knowledge, skills, satisfaction and confidence in relation to applied family nursing approach within the context of caring for families affected by advanced/final stage cancer. However, further refinement of the implementation process is needed to enhance family care improvement and the nurses’ professional development in advanced family nursing in specialised palliative care.