Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39849478›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2025

'Striving to achieve control'. Registered nurses' experiences of palliative care quality during the COVID-19 pandemic - a qualitative study.

Tuva Sandsdalen, Ann Karin Helgesen, Vigdis Abrahamsen Grøndahl, Carina Bååth, Maria Larsson, Christina Melin Johansson, Cecilia Olsson, Maria Tillfors, Jane Österlind, Reidun Hov and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Tuva SandsdalenDepartment of Health and Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of Inland Norway, Elverum, Norway. tuva.sandsdalen@inn.no.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6699-8059
Ann Karin HelgesenFaculty of Health, Welfare and Organization, Østfold University College , Halden, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4572-9439
Vigdis Abrahamsen GrøndahlDepartment of Health and Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of Inland Norway, Elverum, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8296-7682
Carina BååthFaculty of Health, Welfare and Organization, Østfold University College , Halden, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9608-336X
Maria LarssonDepartment of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science and Technology, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0417-6161
Christina Melin JohanssonDepartment of Healthcare Sciences/Nursing, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-6286-8245
Cecilia OlssonDepartment of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science and Technology, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0944-5650
Maria TillforsDepartment of Social and Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9633-6753
Jane ÖsterlindDepartment of Health Care Sciences, Marie Cederschiöld University, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9559-1939
Reidun HovCentre for Development of Institutional and Home Care Services, Inland (Hedmark), Hamar Municipality, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7154-3078
Marie Dahlen GranrudDepartment of Social Sciences and Guidance, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of Inland Norway, Elverum, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9105-2791

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProviding quality palliative care during a pandemic was challenging. Both specialist and community healthcare services cared for patients that faced life-threatening illness and who were influenced by the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Little knowledge has yet been provided on how registered nurses (RNs) experienced the palliative care quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to explore RN's experiences of providing palliative care quality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

methodsThis qualitative study had a descriptive design. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted between November 2021 and January 2022 with 18 RNs who worked in intensive care units in hospitals, dementia care or palliative care units in nursing homes in Norway during the pandemic. Data were analysed by using qualitative content analysis. The study was conducted and reported according to the COREQ's checklist.

resultsAnalysis of the data resulted in an overall theme: 'Striving to achieve control'. This theme comprised six categories: (1) when the toolbox does not fit; (2) protective equipment-social distance and opportunities for closeness; (3) unpredictable workday; (4) the right person to the right assignment at the right time; (5) presence and absence of relatives and friends; and (6) situations that required creativity. RNs had various experiences regarding how the quality of care was perceived; being worse, preserved, or in some cases even better than before the pandemic.

conclusionsThe provision of quality palliative care was experienced by RNs as challenging during the pandemic. The pandemic forced them to be creative and to strive for control to provide the best palliative care possible given the situation. The results of this study may contribute to important knowledge for leaders, policy makers and RNs to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and planning for future pandemics or crises. Especially to optimise factors perceived by RNs to be important for the palliative care quality, related to the specific situation and care context, to include the perspectives of those involved and take into consideration the time perspective of the pandemic.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelCOVID-19NursesPalliative CareQuality of Health CareAdultFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedNorwayPandemicsQualitative ResearchSARS-CoV-2COVID-19Hospice and palliative care nursingNursing carePalliative careQuality of health careRegistered nurses’ experience

Identifiers

PMID39849478
PMCPMC11756187

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.