Exploring the attitudes, beliefs, and values of the long-term care workforce towards palliative care: A qualitative evidence synthesis protocol

Background and Aim: The long-term care workforce is a significant provider of palliative care. The majorityof older people being admitted to long-term care have palliative care needs and many are approaching endof life. The long-term care workforce comprises both registered health care professionals and unlicensedhealth care workers (UHCW) who provide most direct care. Studies that have examined palliative carecompetence in long-term care have focused on staff knowledge. However, it is also important tounderstand staff attitudes, beliefs, and values towards palliative care because these attributes influencebehaviours related to care provision. The aim of the qualitative evidence synthesis is to identify andappraise the best available qualitative evidence on the attitudes, beliefs, and values of the long-term careworkforce towards palliative care.Inclusion criteria: The review will consider original research that reports qualitative findings of long-termcare staff and their attitudes, beliefs, and values regarding palliative care for residents of long-term carefacilities.Methods: The following databases will be searched for eligible papers: CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed,PsychINFO, and Scopus. Studies that meet the inclusion criteria by addressing all of the phenomena ofinterest will be reviewed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for systematic reviews ofqualitative evidence. Two reviewers will independently assess the studies for methodological quality. Thedata will be extracted using the standardized JBI SUMARI extraction tool. Specific details about authorsand publication date, study design, aims, context, population, cultural and linguistic background,location, main findings, limitations, and conclusions will be extracted and a level of credibility assigned.Categories will be developed from the findings. The findings will be presented diagrammatically andaccompanied by a narrative to explain categories and synthesised findings.Discussion: The review of the literature will synthesis key findings pertaining to the attitudes, beliefs, andvalues of the workforce providing palliative care to older people in long-term care, beyond what is knownabout palliative care knowledge in this workforce