An assessment of the evidence from a systematic review on the knowledge, practice, facilitators, and challenges of palliative care for critical care nurses

Nora Hawari; Enas  Hteini; Salam Bani Hani; Jihad rababah; Mohammed  ALBashtawy; Abdulqadir  J. Nashwan

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20240731105526

Abstract
Background: As the largest group of healthcare professionals, nurses are essential to maximizing the standard of care provided to patients with palliative conditions. This study highlights the information currently available regarding the knowledge, challenges, and practice levels of critical care nurses in palliative care.

Methods: To locate articles published between 2017 and 2022, a literature search was carried out using PubMed/MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and the Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL).

Results: The eighteen publications that made up this review verified the widespread misperception among nurses about palliative care ideas and the ensuing inappropriate practices. Nevertheless, a number of barriers and facilitators to the provision of palliative care were removed. Among the challenges include inadequate clinical training, time constraints, and poorly designed units. The main enablers were the staff's continued training, the patient's family's awareness of their condition, and their cooperation with the medical team.

Conclusion: It is essential that nurses work hard to increase their level of knowledge in order to meet the primary needs of palliative care, as they are the front-line supervisors of patient care. In order to provide patients with the best care possible, it is essential that nurses continue their education and training in effective palliative care.

Key words: Nurses; palliative care; facilitators; Barriers; Intensive Critical Care; Evidence.