Nursing care to patients who have the home as the preferred place of death: a scoping review

Abstract

BackgroundThe existing literature on nursing care for patients who choose home as their preferred place of death is scattered and lacks a coherent overview. This scoping review aimed to explore and categorize the available evidence on how nurses provide care for patients preferring to die at home.MethodsStudies that included nurses and were focused on nursing care for patients who choose the home as their preferred place of death were included in the review. The scoping review considered studies with quantitative, qualitative, or mixed method designs; systematic reviews; and meta-analyses. No time restrictions were added. Key information sources were Medline, CINAHL (EBSCO), Scopus (Elsevier) and Google Scholar. Systematic reviews were searched for in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Unpublished studies and grey literature were searched for in ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. The reference list of the studies included was searched.ResultsA total of 13 studies were deemed eligible for inclusion in the review, of which (n = 11) were qualitative and (n = 2) were both qualitative and quantitative. The studies were published between 2008 and 2023 and were conducted in the United Kingdom (n = 5), Norway (n = 4), Australia, Sweden, Canada and Japan. The studies included in this review highlighted issues of competence, resource limitations, flexibility as a coping mechanism, as well as collaboration and family caregivers.ConclusionsThis review identified significant challenges in delivering nursing care for patients who prefer to die at home, including staff shortages, resource limitations, and educational deficiencies. Despite these barriers, nurses showed a strong commitment to patient care, highlighting the need for increased support and collaboration with family caregivers to improve home-based end-of-life care.Implications for researchTo improve care for patients who wish to die at home, it is crucial to address staff shortages and enhance nurse training to close knowledge gaps and ensure consistent, high-quality care. Healthcare systems must also allocate adequate resources to ensure that nurses have the necessary tools to deliver safe and effective care in home settings. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration will further enhance patient outcomes by supporting both nurses and family caregivers in end-of-life care.