NURSES’ EXPERIENCES AND PERCEIVED CHALLENGES IN COMMUNICATING WITH PATIENTS AND FAMILIES DURING PALLIATIVE CARE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY
Abstract
Effective communication is a crucial element of palliative nursing care, particularly when patients and families are struggling with uncertainty, emotional discomfort, evolving care goals, and complicated informational requirements. The purpose of this study was to evaluate nurses’ experiences of communication with patients and their families in palliative care, and to identify perceived barriers of communication in such situations. A qualitative phenomenological research design was adopted to acquire an in-depth understanding of nurses’ lived experiences and viewpoints Ten registered nurses with direct experience of caring for patients receiving palliative care were selected for the study using purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted individually with participants using a researcher-developed guide. The guide included open-ended questions with pertinent probing questions. Interview data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, which involved systematic familiarization with transcripts, coding, theme creation and refinement, and interpretation of trends across participants’ accounts. The research revealed four key themes: managing emotionally sensitive communication; managing family, cultural and religious factors; communication within the framework of organizational restrictions; and developing nurses’ preparedness and professional support. Nurses stressed the need of active listening, empathy, emotional presence and realistic hope in communication with patients and families. But hurdles were severe, including family rejection and conflicting expectations, cultural and religious issues, hard workload, restricted privacy, ambiguous professional duties, uneven interdisciplinary communication, and inadequate formal training. The study showed that both individual nursing competence and a supportive clinical environment are necessary for effective palliative-care communication. It is recommended that healthcare institutions provide structured palliative communication education, simulation-based training, mentorship, clear interdisciplinary communication protocols, sufficient opportunities for private conversations, and emotional debriefing and professional support for nurses. Developing these areas may increase nurses’ confidence in communicating and encourage compassionate, culturally relevant, patient and family-centered palliative care.
Keywords
- Palliative Care; Nurse–Patient Communication; Family Communication; Nurses’ Experiences; Therapeutic Communication; Qualitative Research
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