Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41953149›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of nursing studies advances2026

Provision of palliative and end-of-life care by community health nurses: A scoping review on the challenges and potential solutions.

Sophie Pask, Sarah Greenley, Chung Y Ip, Georgina Macdonald, Emel Yorganci, Alison Waring, Katherine E Sleeman, Miriam J Johnson, Catherine Walshe, Mark Pearson and 2 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of nursing studies advances, 2026. 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

12 authors.

Sophie PaskWolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
Sarah GreenleyHull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
Chung Y IpCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, King's College London, London, UK.
Georgina MacdonaldCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, King's College London, London, UK.
Emel YorganciCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, King's College London, London, UK.
Alison WaringWolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
Katherine E SleemanCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, King's College London, London, UK.
Miriam J JohnsonWolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
Catherine WalsheInternational Observatory on End-of-Life Care, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
Mark PearsonWolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
Catherine J EvansCicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation, King's College London, London, UK.
Fliss E M MurtaghWolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The demand for home-based palliative care is increasing, driven by ageing populations and a rise in multiple long-term conditions. Community health nurses are pivotal to enabling people to be cared for and die at home, yet their contributions to palliative and end-of-life care remain under-recognised and poorly understood. Previous international reviews have focused on specific themes but in-depth synthesis of evidence from one national health system has not been undertaken. Aim: This scoping review aimed to identify, map and synthesise evidence within a single national health system on the community health nursing workforce in palliative and end-of-life care provision for adults living at home (including their role and responsibilities, and identifying challenges and potential solutions). Method: This scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the PRISMA-Scoping Review checklist statement. We systematically searched thirteen electronic databases and grey literature sources, from 2009 to 2025. UK-evidence reporting on community health nurses' provision of palliative and end-of-life care to adults living at home was included. Data were charted using a structured data extraction form and grouped thematically to understand the nature of their roles and responsibilities, the challenges faced in providing such care, and potential solutions to mitigate these challenges. Results: A total of 250 items/reports reflecting 239 included items/reports (11 merged as same project) were included. The main challenges community health nurses are facing in palliative and end-of-life care provision are driven by the rising demand and increasing complexity of the needs of persons dying at home. This requires rapid role evolvement, expertise, and effective integration with multiple providers and services, and impacts on staff wellbeing and morale. To mitigate these challenges, requires recognition of and training to support their rapidly evolving roles in palliative and end-of-life care and to meet the increasingly complex needs of persons dying at home and their families. There is limited understanding of safe caseloads and data to demonstrate the extent of palliative and end-of-life care provided by community health nurses. Conclusions: Community health nurses are essential to the delivery of palliative and end-of-life care at home. Addressing workforce capacity, role clarity, and training gaps is critical to meeting future demand and ensuring equitable, high-quality care. This review highlights the urgent need for these challenges in community health nursing to be addressed to support sustainable palliative and end-of-life care delivery.

Indexed as

Community health nursingCommunity medicineEnd-of-life carePalliative careScoping review

Identifiers

PMID41953149
PMCPMC13054099

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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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.