Experiences of emergency department nurses using palliative care resources and associated tools in the provision of quality care of a dying patient

Abstract

Access to quality palliative and end-of-life care in the emergency department is as vitally important as care at any other stage of life. This study aimed to investigate nurses' perceptions of the use of a suite of dedicated resources to support the provision of care to patients who are dying in the emergency environment. The study followed a qualitative descriptive design; 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic coding. Five themes were developed: facilitating care delivery; comfort and environmental adjustments; visual symbolism; developing knowledge to overcome fear; and perceptions of family experiences. There is an increasing need to access palliative care in the emergency department; the use of a suite of resources can play an important role in the provision of quality care to the dying.