Piedrafita-Susín AB, Yoldi-Arzoz E, Sánchez-Fernández M, Zuazua-Ros E, Vázquez-Calatayud M. [Nurses' perception, experience and knowledge of palliative care in intensive care units].
Enferm Intensiva 2015;
26:153-65. [PMID:
26242205 DOI:
10.1016/j.enfi.2015.06.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 06/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Adequate provision of palliative care by nursing in intensive care units is essential to facilitate a "good death" to critically ill patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the perceptions, experiences and knowledge of intensive care nurses in caring for terminal patients.
METHODOLOGY
A literature review was conducted on the bases of Pubmed, Cinahl and PsicINFO data using as search terms: cuidados paliativos, UCI, percepciones, experiencias, conocimientos y enfermería and their alternatives in English (palliative care, ICU, perceptions, experiences, knowledge and nursing), and combined with AND and OR Boolean. Also, 3 journals in intensive care were reviewed.
RESULTS
Twenty seven articles for review were selected, most of them qualitative studies (n=16). After analysis of the literature it has been identified that even though nurses perceive the need to respect the dignity of the patient, to provide care aimed to comfort and to encourage the inclusion of the family in patient care, there is a lack of knowledge of the end of life care in intensive care units' nurses.
CONCLUSION
This review reveals that to achieve quality care at the end of life, is necessary to encourage the training of nurses in palliative care and foster their emotional support, to conduct an effective multidisciplinary work and the inclusion of nurses in decision making.
Collapse