Persepsi Perawat terhadap Palliative Care di Setting Klinis: Studi Kualitatif Eksploratif

Abstract

Introduction: Palliative care is a comprehensive approach that improves the quality of life for patients with life-threatening illnesses. Nurses play a pivotal role in this care delivery; however, their perceptions significantly Influence the implementation and quality of palliative care in clinical settings. Understanding these perceptions is crucial to identifying gaps between ideal care and clinical reality. Purpose: This study aimed to explore nurses’ perceptions of palliative care within the clinical setting. Methods: A qualitative explorative design was employed in this study. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with nurses working in oncology and chemotherapy units who act as the primary caregivers for cancer patients. The participants were selected using purposive sampling. The collected data were analysed using thematic analysis. Result: This study found that nurses view palliative care as a holistic approach that prioritizes comfort and quality of life over curative treatment outcomes. Palliative care is understood as focusing on symptom management, particularly pain reduction and management of chemotherapy side effects, while also meeting the psychological and spiritual needs of patients. Nurses view psychosocial and spiritual support as essential in helping patients accept their illness and maintain emotional stability during end-of-life care. Therapeutic communication is a core role for nurses, facilitating the establishment of trust and emotional support through empathetic listening. However, nurses report challenges in providing optimal palliative care, including limited specialized training and difficulties in interprofessional collaboration, leading them to rely more on general nursing knowledge and clinical experience. Conclusion: Nurses in clinical settings view palliative care as patient centered, holistic care that aims to maintain comfort, dignity, and quality of life. Despite positive perceptions, implementation is still limited by limited training and systemic barriers. Strengthening specialized palliative care education and interprofessional collaboration is essential to improving service quality.