Identification of Nursing Outcomes and Quality Indicators for Home Health Care in Older Adults with End-Stage Cancer

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to identify nursing outcomes and quality indicators for older adults with end-stage cancer receiving home health care. Methods: Nineteen experts and professional caregivers, including palliative doctors, nursing faculty, advanced practice nurses, and registered nurses, participated in the Delphi technique. Final medians and interquartile ranges were calculated. Result: Seven components with 43 nursing outcomes and quality indicators for older adults with end-stage cancer were developed, encompassing physical pain relief, symptom management, physical well-being, complication prevention, psychosocial support, caregiver and family roles in end-of-life care, and advance care planning. Conclusion: The caregiver and family’s role in end-of-life care had the most indicators, reflecting the significance of family involvement in Thailand’s cultural context. Consistent implementation of these indicators is crucial, and correlational analysis of indicator scores can enhance their validity.