Palliative Care: Perceptions, Knowledge, and Practices from the Nurse's Perspective

percepções, saberes e práticas na perspectiva do enfermeiro

Authors

Abstract

Palliative care is part of a multidisciplinary approach to humanized care, aiming to promote comprehensive quality of life for patients with life-threatening health conditions and their families. This article aims to explore nurses' perceptions, knowledge, and practices regarding Palliative Care. It is a descriptive and exploratory qualitative research conducted in the first semester of 2022 through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Content Analysis technique. The meaningful units in the nurses' accounts generated two categories: Difficulty in implementing Palliative Care in the Medical Clinic Unit and Professional Qualification of Nurses for the delivery of Palliative Care in the Medical Clinic Unit. The results highlight challenges such as ineffective communication and lack of team training to care for patients and their families. Regarding professional qualification, nurses reported that they did not have any coursework during their undergraduate education that provided them with knowledge on the subject. Thus, it becomes evident that there is a need for training for nursing teams working in this sector regarding palliative care, enhancing the care delivery model for both patients and their families..

 

Keywords: Palliative Care. Nursing. Family. Terminally ill.

Published

2025-07-22