Nurses' support needs in providing high-quality palliative care to persons with dementia in the hospital setting: A cross-sectional survey study

Background Since dementia is an irreversible progressive disease characterized by a decline in mental functions and overall health, a palliative care approach is recommended. Nevertheless, many persons with dementia experience burdensome hospitalizations in end-of-life care. Their quality of life during hospitalization can be improved by palliative nursing care that suits their fragile health. Aim To explore hospital nurses' perceived support needs while providing high-quality palliative care for persons with dementia and to identify differences between nurses in different ward types and at different educational levels. Design Cross-sectional, multicenter survey study. Method Between January 2021 and April 2021, a convenience sample of Dutch hospital nurses received a web-based questionnaire on the topics of palliative caregiving, communication, collaboration, and hospital admissions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results The survey was completed by 235 nurses. The most frequently endorsed support needs were communicating with persons with severe dementia (58.3%), appointing a permanent contact person in the care for persons with dementia (53.6%), and dealing with family disagreement in end-of-life care (53.2%). If nurses had more time to provide care, 66.4% of them would prioritize providing personal attention. Most support needs identified by nurses were similar. Conclusion A heterogeneous group of nurses demonstrates overall similar support needs in providing palliative care for persons with dementia and their families in the hospital setting. Clinical Relevance Nursing practices should implement dementia-friendly interventions to improve the quality of dementia care in the hospital.

Automated summary

This study investigated the support needs of hospital nurses in providing palliative care for dementia patients. The results showed that nurses had similar support needs in communicating with severe dementia patients, appointing a contact person, and dealing with family disagreements. The support needs for providing palliative care for dementia patients were also similar among nurses in different departments and educational levels.