Hanna-Leena Melender1, Minna Hökkä2, Pirjo Kaakinen3, Juho T Lehto4, Outi Hirvonen5. 1. Department of Social and Health Care, VAMK University of Applied Sciences, Finland. 2. School of Health, Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Kajaani, Finland. 3. Research Unit of Nursing Science and Health Management, University of Oulu, Finland. 4. Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, and Palliative Care Centre and Department of Oncology, Tampere University Hospital, Finland. 5. Palliative Center, Turku University Hospital, and Department of Clinical Oncology, University of Turku, Finland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Specialists were asked to describe the most essential palliative and end-of-life care competencies needed in their working units, in order to deepen the understanding of the phenomenon. AIM: To describe the most essential competencies of palliative-care nurses and physicians. METHODS: The data was collected using an open-ended question in a survey sent to registered nurses (n=129) working within palliative care and to physicians (n=64) with a special competency in palliative care. The data was analysed using content analysis. RESULTS: The description of the most essential competencies included 16 main categories and 63 subcategories in total. The three strongest main categories were 'clinical competence', 'competence in social interactions' and 'competence in giving support'. Eleven main categories were based on both nurses' and physicians' data, while five main categories were created from nurses' data only. CONCLUSION: Interprofessional palliative-care education is recommended for the undergraduate and postgraduate education of nurses and physicians.
BACKGROUND: Specialists were asked to describe the most essential palliative and end-of-life care competencies needed in their working units, in order to deepen the understanding of the phenomenon. AIM: To describe the most essential competencies of palliative-care nurses and physicians. METHODS: The data was collected using an open-ended question in a survey sent to registered nurses (n=129) working within palliative care and to physicians (n=64) with a special competency in palliative care. The data was analysed using content analysis. RESULTS: The description of the most essential competencies included 16 main categories and 63 subcategories in total. The three strongest main categories were 'clinical competence', 'competence in social interactions' and 'competence in giving support'. Eleven main categories were based on both nurses' and physicians' data, while five main categories were created from nurses' data only. CONCLUSION: Interprofessional palliative-care education is recommended for the undergraduate and postgraduate education of nurses and physicians.
Entities:
Keywords:
Clinical competence; End-of-life care; Palliative care