Nursing competencies for palliative care in home care

Abstract

Objective: To identify the competencies of nurses for palliative care in home care. Methods: An exploratory study using the Delphi method to identify the consensus of nurses working in home care regarding 43 competencies listed in a questionnaire, with the inclusion of a five-point Likert scale. Results: In the sample of 20 nurses, there was consensus about 18 general competencies and 25 specific competencies, with agreement above 75%, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.7 for all the listed competencies. The favorable consensus about the proposed competencies indicates the recognition of palliative care as a nursing care practice in home care. Conclusion: The list of competencies presented internal reliability and provides assertive statements about the work of nurses in palliative care in home care.