Enhancing nutritional care in palliative care units: assessing nurse knowledge and quality perception in enteral nutrition practices

Abstract

Background

Adequate, balanced, and individualized nutrition, planned according to the patients’ life expectancy in palliative care units, is crucial for maintaining essential functions.

Aim

To determine the knowledge levels of nurses working in palliative care units regarding enteral nutrition practices and their perceptions of nutritional care quality in their units.

Methods

This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in 25 palliative care units located in Izmir, Türkiye, between June and September 2022. The study sample consisted of 205 nurses working in palliative care units. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, an Enteral Nutrition Practices Knowledge Form, and the Nurses’ Perceived Nutrition Care Quality Assessment Scale. The STROBE checklist was also utilized.

Results

The study found that the majority of participating nurses (94.6%) were female, with 78.5% holding bachelor’s degrees. The median knowledge score for enteral nutrition: 15 (range: 2–27), perceived care quality score: 36 (range: 9–45). Those with enteral nutrition training had significantly higher knowledge scores (p < .001); palliative care certificate showed no difference (p = .846). Nurses lacking nutrition counseling knowledge had lower perceived care quality scores (p = .001). Monthly tube feeding applications correlated positively with knowledge scores (r = .173, p = .013), unlike professional experience duration (p = .126) and time spent in palliative care (p = .839).

Conclusion

Nurses working in the palliative care unit find the quality of nutrition care provided to patients in their clinics to be sufficient, and the level of knowledge regarding enteral nutrition is at a moderate level. However, in questions related to nursing care such as fluid requirements during enteral nutrition with enteral solutions that affect both nutritional care and medical treatment, maintaining the opening of the jejunostomy tube, and enteral drug administration, correct response rates were low. Low correct response rates on specific issues highlight a need for targeted educational interventions.