BACKGROUND: Choice to live and die at home is supported by palliative care policy; however, health resources and access disparity impact on this choice in rural Australia. Rural end-of-life home care is provided by district nurses, but little is known about their role in advocacy for choice in care. OBJECTIVES: The study was conducted to review the scope of the empirical literature available to answer the research question: What circumstances influence district nurse advocacy for rural client choice to live and die at home?, and identify gaps in the knowledge. METHOD: Interpretive scoping methodology was used to search online databases, identify suitable studies and select, chart, analyse and describe the findings. RESULTS: 34 international studies revealed themes of 'the nursing relationship', 'environment', 'communication', 'support' and 'the holistic client centred district nursing role. DISCUSSION: Under-resourcing, medicalisation and emotional relational burden could affect advocacy in rural areas. CONCLUSION: It is not known how district nurses overcome these circumstances to advocate for choice in end-of-life care. Research designed to increase understanding of how rural district nurses advocate successfully for client goals will enable improvements to be made in the quality of end-of-life care offered.
BACKGROUND: Choice to live and die at home is supported by palliative care policy; however, health resources and access disparity impact on this choice in rural Australia. Rural end-of-life home care is provided by district nurses, but little is known about their role in advocacy for choice in care. OBJECTIVES: The study was conducted to review the scope of the empirical literature available to answer the research question: What circumstances influence district nurse advocacy for rural client choice to live and die at home?, and identify gaps in the knowledge. METHOD: Interpretive scoping methodology was used to search online databases, identify suitable studies and select, chart, analyse and describe the findings. RESULTS: 34 international studies revealed themes of 'the nursing relationship', 'environment', 'communication', 'support' and 'the holistic client centred district nursing role. DISCUSSION: Under-resourcing, medicalisation and emotional relational burden could affect advocacy in rural areas. CONCLUSION: It is not known how district nurses overcome these circumstances to advocate for choice in end-of-life care. Research designed to increase understanding of how rural district nurses advocate successfully for client goals will enable improvements to be made in the quality of end-of-life care offered.
Authors: Anne Croker; Karin Fisher; Philip Hungerford; Jonathan Gourlay; Jennifer May; Shannon Lees; Jessica Chapman Journal: Palliat Care Soc Pract Date: 2022-03-09