Navigating Palliative Care: A qualitative study of the needs and challenges of newly qualified nurses

Summary Background: Newly qualified nurses are expected to care for life-threateningly ill patients and their relatives. However, there is currently a significant research gap concerning the experiences and challenges faced by newly qualified Danish nurses when encountering basic palliative care in practice. Aim: To explore the experiences of newly qualified nurses providing basic palliative care. Methods: Individual in-depth interviews with nine nurses were conducted, and data analyzed through qualitative, descriptive analysis. Findings: The study underscores the pivotal shift from being a student to becoming a practicing nurse, revealing uncertainties and a need to engage in palliative care during clinical training. Additionally, the study unveils a pervasive sense of busyness in the practice of healthcare, preventing a balance between efficiency and calmness in palliative care. Administering medication, handling crisis-reactions, and communicating with fearful patients and relatives requires courage and experience. The emotional impact is profound, necessitating support and dialogue. The identified challenges are explored in the discussion, emphasizing how busyness impacts palliative care, and highlighting the significance of structured support mechanisms to enhance newly qualified nurses’ competences and confidence in their work in palliative nursing. Conclusion: Newly qualified nurses face challenges transitioning to professional practice. The fast-paced healthcare system impedes their ability to deliver sensitive, person-oriented care, causing uncertainty and fear of failure. Ongoing dialogue and support from experienced colleagues are crucial for helping newly qualified nurses prioritize tasks, make informed clinical decisions, and develop leadership skills in basic palliative care. Keywords: Palliation; Newly qualified nurses; Nursing education; Qualitative research; Healthcare system dynamics; Collegial support