Two out of five nurses call for more support in caring for terminally ill patients
The feelings experienced by these professionals mark the quality of end-of-life care, according to a study by the University of Navarra.
Two out of five nurses ask for more support in their environment at work when caring for terminally ill patients. Likewise, 50% state that they have not received specific training after obtaining the degree scroll, despite the fact that they regularly attend patients with this subject in their unit. These data are taken from the doctoral thesis of María Arantzamendi Solabarrieta, professor at department of Nursing Care for Adult Patients of the University of Navarra.
The research, defended at the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery of King's College London under the degree scroll "Experiences of nurses caring for terminally ill patients in hospitals", delves into the work of these university graduates, as it considers that "their attitudes and experiences influence the care received by patients and their families".
The study, in which 22 professionals from the Autonomous Community of Navarre participated, consisted of observing the daily work and conducting interviews. With the information obtained in the previous phases, a regional survey was carried out with the collaboration of six hospitals, 23 hospital units and 165 nurses.
More training and more support in the work environment
María Arantzamendi demonstrates relationships between skill in the emotional care of patients and the support received in their work activity, and also with a greater training of postgraduate program. Thus, with more support and more Education there is less concern about aspects related to death, greater motivation for patient care and less perception of challenge when carrying out their work.
During the research, the professionals explained that end-of-life care requires more time and is more emotionally demanding. According to them, although physical care represents the greatest investment of time, the emotional aspects cause the greatest difficulties and impact. In this sense, they consider that the academic training received during the degree program training them for physical care, but not so much for the emotional and psychological aspects; therefore, they request more advanced training on this aspect.
In conclusion, the professor from the University of Navarra proposes designing actions that focus on the skill of nurses for the emotional care of patients, but also addressing their work environment. "It is essential that in the units there are leadership styles that promote a context of emotional support. It must start with the recognition and evaluation of this component involved in patient care," she points out.