ArticleBMC palliative care2025
What are the experiences and support needs of district nurses caring for terminally ill people with delirium at home? A qualitative study.
Article in BMC palliative care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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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.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Provision of palliative and end-of-life care by community health nurses: A scoping review on the challenges and potential solutions.International journal of nursing studies advances · 2026Review
- Identifying Risk Factors for Delirium Through Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in Older Adults Receiving Palliative Cancer Care.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundDelirium is a serious neuropsychiatric syndrome, which is common amongst terminally ill people in the community. District nurses have a key role in supporting terminally ill people to remain at home.
objectivesTo explore the experience and support needs of district nurses caring for people with delirium in home settings.
methodsSemi-structured individual and small group interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams with 12 district nurses in Scotland, UK. Data was analyzed using framework analysis. Data was coded both deductively and inductively.
resultsOverarching themes were (i) challenges of delirium detection in the community, (ii) challenges managing delirium in the community, (iii) family carers as providers and recipients of care and (iv) education, training and support needs. Participants valued clinical judgement alone in detecting delirium, over use of formal assessment tools. Patients were referred to district nursing services at an advanced stage of their illness, with nurses needing to make rapid decisions about their care, sometimes with limited information. Participants were familiar with non-pharmacological strategies and the importance of family carer support, but uncertainty remained regarding pharmacological management of distressing symptoms. The term 'delirium' was rarely used. Challenges accessing timely advice and practical support from other health and social care professionals were reported. Participants identified delirium detection and the pharmacological management of persistent delirium as priorities for training.
conclusionCaring for terminally ill people with delirium in the community is challenging. Educational interventions may be beneficial in developing district nurses' confidence in supporting terminally ill patients and their families. Responsive advice and support are required from specialist palliative care services.
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