The Benefit of Incorporating Palliative Care Education into the Pre- Registration Nursing Curriculum: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Palliative care (PC) has evolved and is now integrated into the care of numerous medical conditions and diseases. Today, PC is an indispensable part of the healthcare system in many countries. It is essential to study the benefits of incorporating PC in pre-registration nursing students’ programmes and determine how it influences pre-registration nurses’ PC skills and knowledge. Objective: To explore the benefits of incorporating palliative care into the pre- registration nursing education curriculum and determine: • How incorporating PC into pre-registration nursing education improves the skillset of student nurses. • How incorporating PC into pre-registration nursing education improves student nurses’ knowledge. Method: A systematic review established the impact of incorporating PC into pre-registration nursing education. Three major databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE) were consulted through the librarian at Queen’s University, Belfast to help develop search terms on PC education for pre-registration nursing students. Title and abstract screening were conducted based on pre- determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was assessed using the 2018 Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Results: Five studies were included in the systematic review, which explored the benefits of incorporating palliative care into pre-registration nursing education. PC education improved students’ knowledge of various symptoms and pain management. The results also suggested significant benefits in improved skill performance for students, including high competencies, self- confidence, and self-awareness. Conclusion: Incorporating PC education in the pre-registration nursing curriculum presents significant benefits in PC knowledge and skills development among pre-registration nurses. However, more research is needed to determine the optimal content, and mode of delivery (didactic, simulation, multi-level etc.) for PC education in the pre-registration nursing curriculum. This is crucial in order to guide the development of effective PC education to improve the knowledge and skills of pre-registration nurses so that they are competent and confident to provide high quality PC to their patients and their families when in practice.