Nurse’s Experiences in Providing End-of life Care for the Elderly

Abstract

This thesis explores the lived experiences of nurses providing home-based palliative care to elderly patients, with a focus on the emotional, ethical, and professional dimensions of their roles. As the global demand for palliative care increases due to aging populations and a preference for end-of-life care at home, understanding the challenges and perspectives of nurses in this field becomes critically important. The study adopts a qualitative literature review methodology to synthesize findings from peer-reviewed research published between 2010 and 2025. Through thematic analysis, several recurring themes were identified: emotional burden and moral distress, ethical dilemmas in decision-making, communication challenges with families, cultural sensitivity, and coping mechanisms employed by nurses. The findings highlight the profound emotional labor nurses undertake, often in the face of insufficient institutional support and systemic limitations. Yet, they also demonstrate the resilience, empathy, and commitment that define nursing care in home-based palliative settings. The study contributes to existing literature by offering a consolidated view of nurses’ experiences and proposing recommendations for policy, training, and support systems that can enhance palliative care delivery at home. While the study is limited by its reliance on secondary data and language scope, it underscores the need for further empirical research, including longitudinal and cross-cultural studies, to better support nurses in this essential area of care.