Palliative care in Norwegian nursing education: A document analysis of the integration of learning outcomes

Abstract

Large variations in palliative care education across and within countries are reported. Nursing students report that they feel unprepared for palliative care. The present study identified and outlined whether universities integrated learning outcomes on palliative care as described in the national regulation into programme descriptions and course plans after implementation of the National Curriculum Regulations for Norwegian Health and Welfare Education (RETHOS) in the 2020 academic year. A qualitative descriptive design with a document analysis approach was used. The findings revealed variation in the terminology used. Palliative care was differently emphasized in selected learning outcome descriptors, related subjects, and presence in the academic trajectory. It is crucial to emphasize palliative care in nursing education to prepare the future workforce to meet patients’ and their families’ individual needs in a multidisciplinary environment across service levels.