Analysis of the Graduate Theses Related to Palliative Care in Türkiye in Terms of Study Method and Nursing Practices.

This study was conducted to examine the postgraduate theses on palliative care in nursing in Türkiye and to reveal the nursing practices used. The population of the retrospective descriptive study consisted of theses in the field of nursing registered in the National Thesis Center of the Council of Higher Education, while the sample consisted of 55 theses between 2010 and 2022 that met the inclusion criteria among the theses in the field of nursing as a result of the screening made within the scope of PRISMA rules. It was seen that the first thesis on palliative care in nursing was published in 2010. Of the theses obtained, 13 were doctoral (23.6%) and 42 were master's theses (76.4%), 60% were published between 2019 and 2022, 92.8% were conducted with quantitative research methods, 76.5% of these theses used at least one of the descriptive designs and 15.7% were randomized controlled experimental studies. Additionally, it was determined that 36.4% of the theses were sampled by healthcare personnel working in palliative care clinics, and 72.7% did not use a sampling method. Among the interventions implemented by nurses; the most common ones were palliative care training, simulation training/practice, and theory-model based nursing care practice. However, neonatal palliative education, psychoeducation, application of the case management model and face-to-face fan practice were rarely included. In recent years, complementary practices such as ear acupuncture, aromatherapy massage and relaxation exercise, as well as red-white light application, were observed. It should be emphasized that thesis studies in palliative care and nursing have increased in recent years, but mostly at the master's level and descriptive type, the number of doctoral level studies is insufficient, and the need for randomized controlled intervention studies to provide evidence for palliative care nursing should be emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]