Nurse-Led Caregiver Support Program in Home Palliative Care

Официальное название

Effect of a Nurse-Led Caregiver Support Program on Caregiver Competency and Healthcare Utilization Among Family Caregivers in Home Palliative Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Обзор

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of a nurse-led caregiver support program on caregiver competency and healthcare utilization among family caregivers of patients receiving home palliative care. Family caregivers in the intervention group will receive a structured 6-week nurse-led support program including face-to-face education, weekly telephone coaching, caregiver guidance materials, and decision support for symptom management and healthcare utilization. The control group will continue to receive routine home palliative care services. Primary outcome is caregiver competency. Secondary outcomes include caregiver burden, self-efficacy, patient symptom burden, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations.

Подробное описание

Palliative care aims to improve quality of life for individuals with life-threatening illnesses through symptom management and holistic care. In home palliative care settings, family caregivers play a critical role in providing daily care and symptom monitoring. However, caregiving responsibilities may lead to increased burden, stress, and inappropriate healthcare utilization.

This study is designed as a single-center, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led caregiver support program among family caregivers of patients receiving home palliative care services.

A total of 150 family caregivers will be recruited and randomized into intervention and control groups in a 1:1 ratio using computer-generated block randomization. Participants in the intervention group will receive a structured 6-week nurse-led caregiver support program consisting of an initial face-to-face educational session and weekly telephone coaching. Intervention content includes symptom management, daily care skills, medication management, complication recognition, caregiver self-care, stress management, and healthcare utilization decision support. Caregivers will also receive a caregiver guidebook and crisis management decision algorithm.

Participants in the control group will continue receiving routine home palliative care services without additional structured support.

Outcome assessments will be conducted at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and 3-month follow-up (T2). The primary outcome is caregiver competency measured using the Care Competency Scale for Family Caregivers in Home Palliative Care. Secondary outcomes include caregiver burden, self-efficacy, patient symptom burden, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations.

The study is expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of nurse-led caregiver support interventions in home palliative care settings.

Вмешательства

• Поведенческое Nurse-Led Caregiver Support Program
  Participants in the intervention group will receive a structured 6-week nurse-led caregiver support program including face-to-face education, weekly telephone coaching, caregiver guidance materials, symptom management support, medication management education, stress management strategies, and healthcare utilization decision support in addition to routine home palliative care services.

Первичные конечные точки

• Care Competency Scale for Family Caregivers in Home Palliative Care [Срок оценки: Baseline, post-intervention at 6 weeks, and 3-month follow-up]

Вторичные конечные точки (5)

• Zarit Burden Interview [Срок оценки: Baseline, post-intervention at 6 weeks, and 3-month follow-up]
• General Self-Efficacy Scale [Срок оценки: Baseline, post-intervention at 6 weeks, and 3-month follow-up]
• Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale [Срок оценки: Baseline, post-intervention at 6 weeks, and 3-month follow-up]
• Emergency Department Visits [Срок оценки: Baseline, post-intervention at 6 weeks, and 3-month follow-up]
• Hospitalizations [Срок оценки: During the 3-month follow-up period]

Критерии участия

Критерии включения

• Adult family caregivers of patients receiving home palliative care services
• Age 18 years or older
• Being the primary caregiver responsible for the patient's daily care
• Ability to communicate in Turkish
• Willingness to participate in the study

Критерии исключения

• Professional or paid caregivers
• Caregivers with severe cognitive impairment or severe psychiatric disorders
• Inability to participate in follow-up assessments

Критерии приведены из реестра в оригинале (на английском). Окончательную оценку соответствия проводит исследовательский центр.

Здоровые добровольцы: Нет

Дизайн исследования

Распределение

Рандомизированное

Модель

Параллельные группы

Маскирование

Простое слепое

Основная цель

Поддерживающая терапия

Центры проведения

Turkey (Türkiye) · 1 центр

• Simav Doc. Dr. Ismail Karakuyu State Hospital — Simav

Публикации

• Karabulutlu EY, Turan GB, Yanmis S. Evaluation of care burden and preparedness of caregivers who provide care to palliative care patients. Palliat Support Care. 2022 Feb;20(1):30-37. doi: 10.1017/S1478951521000213. PMID 33785083
• Wang T, Kong J, Chen X, Yang Y, Liu D, Liu T, Li L. Development and psychometric assessment of a care competency scale for family caregivers in home palliative care. Asia Pac J Oncol Nurs. 2025 May 10;12:100719. doi: 10.1016/j.apjon.2025.100719. eCollection 2025 Dec. PMID 40521035
• Zhang Y, Li J, Zhang Y, Chen C, Guan C, Zhou L, Zhang S, Chen X, Hu X. Mediating effect of social support between caregiver burden and quality of life among family caregivers of cancer patients in palliative care units. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2024 Feb;68:102509. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2024.102509. Epub 2024 Jan 15. PMID 38310666

Идентификаторы

NCT: NCT07593729 · KSBU-HPC-RCT-2026-01

Первоисточники (государственные реестры)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH, США)

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