Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41088179›Full record

ArticleBMC nursing2025

The role and position of palliative care nurses within the Dutch healthcare system: a mixed-methods study.

Ingrid van Zuilekom, Suzanne Metselaar, Fleur Godrie, Myrna Pelgrum-Keurhorst, Berdine Koekoek, Bregje Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Harmieke van Os-Medendorp

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nursing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

7 authors.

Ingrid van ZuilekomSchool of Health, Research Group Smart Health, Saxion, University of Applied Science, Postbus 70.000, Enschede, 7500 KB, The Netherlands. i.vanzuilekom@saxion.nl.
Suzanne MetselaarDepartment of Ethics, Law and Humanities, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, De Boelelaan 1117 1081 HV Amsterdam, Postbus 7057, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
Fleur GodrieDepartment of Ethics, Law and Humanities, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, De Boelelaan 1117 1081 HV Amsterdam, Postbus 7057, Amsterdam, 1007 MB, The Netherlands.
Myrna Pelgrum-KeurhorstSchool of Health, Research Group Smart Health, Saxion, University of Applied Science, Postbus 70.000, Enschede, 7500 KB, The Netherlands.
Berdine KoekoekGelre Hospitals, Palliative Care Network and Center for Life Questions Oost Veluwe, Albert Schweitzerlaan 31, Apeldoorn, 7334 DZ, The Netherlands.
Bregje Onwuteaka-PhilipsenDepartment of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC Location VUmc, Chair Amsterdam UMC Expertise Center for Palliative Care, Locatie VUmc | MF D349 | van der Boechorststraat 7, Amsterdam, 1081BT, The Netherlands.
Harmieke van Os-MedendorpDomain of Health, Sports and Social Work, Inholland, University of Applied Sciences, Pina Bauschplein 4, Amsterdam, 1095 PN, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGeneralists in palliative care and professionals with specialized expertise, including palliative care nurses, achieve high-quality palliative care. To strengthen their role, it is essential to understand the tasks palliative care nurses perform and their position within the organizations. We aim to accomplish this understanding and explore facilitators and barriers to taking on the role as specialized nurses from both the nurses’ and managers’ perspectives.

methodsA sequential mixed-method design combined an online survey, followed up by five focus groups. Analysis involved descriptive statistics and thematic coding.

resultsA total of 234 palliative care nurses across various care settings answered the survey. They primarily provided physical care (88%), with less focus on psychological (72%), social (68%), and spiritual (68%) domains, and were consulted for fewer than half of their activities. Having no job descriptions often occurred (from 78% in home care and nursing homes to 44% in hospitals). Hospital nurses were more involved in advisory teams (56%) than those in other settings (26% − 28%). Nurses showed leadership by promoting generalists’ expertise, connecting partners, serving as role models, and advocating for palliative care. Focus groups with twelve nurses and nine managers identified facilitators and barriers that palliative care nurses and their managers encounter in embedding their roles and positions. These covered: (1) distinction between generalist and specialist palliative care, (2) collaboration, (3) job descriptions, (4) leadership, (5) visibility, (6) funding and reimbursement.

conclusionsPalliative care nurses fulfill an essential role but experience ambiguity about their role and position. They and their managers emphasized the importance of leadership and advocating for palliative care in their organizations. Visibility, funding, reimbursement, and collaboration are facilitators and barriers to their role and position. There are notable areas for improvement, including joining a palliative care advisory team, having a job description, and finding ways to demonstrate cost-effectiveness.

Indexed as

Facilitators and barriersPalliative carePalliative care nursesPositioning

Identifiers

PMID41088179
PMCPMC12522612

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.