7 Ethical issues in palliative care and end-of-life care experienced by nursing staff within nursing homes: a cross-sectional study

Background: Globally, the proportion of older people is increasing along with life expectancy. A significant proportion of older people spend their terminal phase of life in a nursing home, where palliative care is important. This study aims to determine the type and frequency of ethical issues among the nurses delivering palliative care in nursing homes. Method: A cross-sectional survey method was used. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire. One hundred and eighteen nurses in two nursing homes in Slovenia completed the questionnaire. The instrument explored the frequency of ethical issues in nursing homes while providing palliative care to older dying people. Results: The survey showed that the healthcare teams enjoy caring for dying older people; they feel qualified to perform palliative care, which is crucial for ensuring the comfort of the dying person. The survey results show that frequent ethical issues arise in professional, practice, and relational issues. Conclusion: The comparative surveys showed similar results; we have concluded that palliative care in institutional care is still not well organised or supported by continuous training for nurses.