PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Thirst is the body\'s natural urge to replenish fluids in response to a deficiency in hydration. Patients at the end of life gradually lose their independence and reach a point where they become unable to express their needs and can no longer drink on their own. In palliative care, the main advice is to provide regular oral care to relieve symptoms such as dry mouth and thirst. However, according to previous studies the prevalence of thirst and dry mouth remains.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe palliative care, nurses\' views and experiences of thirst in end-of-life care in specialist palliative care units.
METHODS: A qualitative interview study with an inductive approach was conducted. Eighteen nurses working in six different specialist palliative care units in different hospitals in Sweden were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and analysed with a content analysis approach according to Graneheim and Lundman.
RESULTS: When nurses discuss thirst, they perceive thirst as a problem for the patient. This is attributable to various factors, including the patient breathing with an open mouth, a reduced level of awareness, and negligence on the part of the nursing staff. Signs of thirst are dry mouth, and frequently and intense sucking on the oral care stick during oral care. It also emerged that not all nurses perceived that dying patients experienced thirst. They believe that thirst is something that is reduced in the dying patient in the same way as hunger. The most important thing to them is to relieve the dry mouth by providing good oral care. Several issues, such as a lack of guidelines paired with the patient\'s reduced consciousness and hence his/her lack of communication, make assessing thirst problematic.
CONCLUSIONS: Nurses have different thoughts and experiences about thirst, where some perceive patients as thirsty while others perceive them as having a dry mouth. Nurses expressed that both evidence and guidelines are lacking.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe palliative care, nurses\' views and experiences of thirst in end-of-life care in specialist palliative care units.
METHODS: A qualitative interview study with an inductive approach was conducted. Eighteen nurses working in six different specialist palliative care units in different hospitals in Sweden were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed and analysed with a content analysis approach according to Graneheim and Lundman.
RESULTS: When nurses discuss thirst, they perceive thirst as a problem for the patient. This is attributable to various factors, including the patient breathing with an open mouth, a reduced level of awareness, and negligence on the part of the nursing staff. Signs of thirst are dry mouth, and frequently and intense sucking on the oral care stick during oral care. It also emerged that not all nurses perceived that dying patients experienced thirst. They believe that thirst is something that is reduced in the dying patient in the same way as hunger. The most important thing to them is to relieve the dry mouth by providing good oral care. Several issues, such as a lack of guidelines paired with the patient\'s reduced consciousness and hence his/her lack of communication, make assessing thirst problematic.
CONCLUSIONS: Nurses have different thoughts and experiences about thirst, where some perceive patients as thirsty while others perceive them as having a dry mouth. Nurses expressed that both evidence and guidelines are lacking.
摘要：
背景：口渴是身体在缺乏水合时补充体液的自然冲动。患者在生命的尽头逐渐失去他们的独立性，并达到他们变得无法表达自己的需求，不能再自己喝酒的地步。在姑息治疗中，主要建议是定期提供口腔护理，以缓解口干和口渴等症状。然而,根据以前的研究，口渴和口干的患病率仍然存在。
目的：本研究的目的是描述姑息治疗，护士对专科姑息治疗病房临终关怀中口渴的看法和经验。
方法：采用归纳法进行了定性访谈研究。采访了在瑞典不同医院的六个不同专科姑息治疗单位工作的18名护士。根据Graneheim和Lundman的说法，采用内容分析方法对访谈进行了转录和分析。
结果：当护士讨论口渴时，他们认为口渴是病人的问题。这归因于各种因素，包括病人张开嘴呼吸，意识水平降低，以及护理人员的疏忽。口渴的迹象是口干,并且在口腔护理期间频繁且强烈地吸吮口腔护理棒。还发现，并非所有护士都认为垂死的患者口渴。他们认为，口渴是在垂死的病人中减少的东西，就像饥饿一样。对他们来说最重要的是通过提供良好的口腔护理来缓解口腔干燥。几个问题,例如缺乏与患者意识下降相关的指南，因此他/她缺乏沟通，让评估口渴成问题。
结论：护士对口渴有不同的想法和经验，有些人认为病人口干舌燥，而另一些人则认为他们口干舌燥。护士表示缺乏证据和指南。
目的：本研究的目的是描述姑息治疗，护士对专科姑息治疗病房临终关怀中口渴的看法和经验。
方法：采用归纳法进行了定性访谈研究。采访了在瑞典不同医院的六个不同专科姑息治疗单位工作的18名护士。根据Graneheim和Lundman的说法，采用内容分析方法对访谈进行了转录和分析。
结果：当护士讨论口渴时，他们认为口渴是病人的问题。这归因于各种因素，包括病人张开嘴呼吸，意识水平降低，以及护理人员的疏忽。口渴的迹象是口干,并且在口腔护理期间频繁且强烈地吸吮口腔护理棒。还发现，并非所有护士都认为垂死的患者口渴。他们认为，口渴是在垂死的病人中减少的东西，就像饥饿一样。对他们来说最重要的是通过提供良好的口腔护理来缓解口腔干燥。几个问题,例如缺乏与患者意识下降相关的指南，因此他/她缺乏沟通，让评估口渴成问题。
结论：护士对口渴有不同的想法和经验，有些人认为病人口干舌燥，而另一些人则认为他们口干舌燥。护士表示缺乏证据和指南。
