Nurses’ Perceptions Regarding End-of-life Care for Individuals with Non-cancer Diseases on Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation-dependent: A Qualitative and Descriptive Study

Abstract

Objectives: Palliative care is essential for patients requiring respiratory assistance through non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV). This study aimed to describe nurses’ perception of individuals with NPPV and non-cancer terminal diseases in various clinical settings. Material and Methods: This qualitative and descriptive study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with audio recordings with advanced practice nurses from different clinical settings and obtained their perceptions of end-of-life care for patients with NPPV. Results: Five categories of nurses’ perceptions were extracted: Difficulty with an uncertain prognosis, differences in symptom management by type of disease, benefits and weaknesses of NPPV on palliative care, influence of physicians’ attitude toward palliative care and the nature of the medical institutions and influence of patient’s age in palliative care. Conclusion: The nurses’ perceptions showed differences and similarities across disease types. There is a need for skills improvement regardless of disease type to minimise the side effects of NPPV. Advanced care planning based on disease-specific characteristics and age-appropriate support and integration of palliative care into acute care is needed for terminal NPPV-dependent patients. Interdisciplinary efforts, as well as the pursuit of expertise in each field, are needed to provide good palliative and end-of-life care for NPPV users with non-cancer diseases.