Background:

Many renal nurses working in an acute setting often bear witness to the death of patients and spend more time handling patients in their final moments and their families than other healthcare professionals. Despite the growth in awareness of palliative care, renal nurses are uncomfortable in initiating a palliative care plan and discussing death and dying with the patients and their families. Hence there lies a demand for a stepped-up measure in providing palliative care education for renal nurses. It is of vital importance to explore the experience and barriers faced by renal nurses in the provision of palliative care in an acute setting.  

Objectives:

The aim of the study is to assess the perceptions and perceived educational needs of renal nurses in the provision of palliative (end-of-life) care to patients in an acute care setting.  The quantitative study design involves the utilization of a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.  

Methods:

This study used a cross-sectional questionnaire survey design. Out of 74 questionnaires distributed, 65 questionnaires were returned (87.8%). Data analysis is performed using SPSS 25.0

Conclusion:

This study identifies the areas of palliative care whereby renal nurses working in an acute setting lack confidence in when caring for patients who are dying. The respondents highlighted key areas which require improvement such as managing limited patient decisionmaking capacity, answering about the dying process and the services available, discussing patient’s wishes for after their death and different environmental options.