Evaluation of self-efficacy of nurses working in palliative care clinics regarding enteral nutrition practices

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the self-efficacy of palliative care nurses regarding enteral nutrition practices. Method: The study was conducted between October and December 2024, with nurses working in palliative care clinics participating using the snowball sampling method via social media and online survey form. The participants were administered two questionnaires, the "Participant Information Form" and the `Enteral Nutrition Practices Self-Efficacy Scale for Nurses` (N-ENP-SES) to collect the data. Results: The mean age of the 150 nurses who participated in the study was 33.9±8.2 years, the majority were female (76%, n=114), and the majority (91.4%, n=137) had undergraduate and graduate education. It was found that 51.3% (n=77) of the participants had more than 7 years of working experience and 52% (n=78) had more than 3 years of working experience in palliative care. The majority of the participants (90.7%, n=136) had a nutrition support team in the institution where they worked. It was determined that 60.7% (n=91) of the participants received training on nutritional support after undergraduate education, and the majority (69.2%, n=63) received training within the scope of in-service training. Most of the participants found the training they received (68.1%, n=62) and their level of knowledge about enteral nutrition practices (68%, n=102) partially sufficient. When the data of the participants were analyzed, the mean total score of the scale was 154.6±24.8. When the scale scores were evaluated, self-efficacy of nurses working in palliative care clinics regarding enteral nutrition practices was at a adequate level. There was no difference between the groups when the participants N-ENP-SES scores were evaluated according to age, gender, marital status, educational status, institution of employment, professional work experience, duration of employment in palliative care clinic, and the presence of a nutrition support team in the institution. In our study, participants who received training on nutrition support and thought that the training they received was adequate, and participants who evaluated their level of knowledge about enteral nutrition practices as adequate had higher N-ENP-SES scores. In this context, it was observed that education had a positive effect on self-efficacy. Conclusion: In this study, palliative care nurses' self-efficacy regarding enteral nutrition practices was found to be at an adequate level. However, in order to improve nurses' self-efficacy, it is recommended to organize periodic vocational training programs by adopting evidence-based practices, encourage nurses to participate in trainings, and establish nutrition protocols in clinics. Activities to increase the self-efficacy of palliative care nurses regarding their knowledge and practice skills may have a positive effect on the quality of patient care. Keywords: Palliative Care, Enteral Nutrition, Self-efficacy