Narrative Nursing–Based Palliative Intervention for Terminally Ill Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study
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Background Terminally ill patients frequently exhibit symptoms of existential distress, encompassing a diminished sense of life meaning, diminished self-efficacy, and heightened death anxiety. Although narrative nursing has demonstrated potential as a psychosocial intervention, its utilisation within a group-based palliative care framework remains under-explored. Methods A quasi-experimental pre-post study was conducted with convenience sampling. A total of fifty patients with advanced cancer were enrolled in the study, of whom forty-three completed a four-week group narrative nursing intervention. The programme encompassed weekly storytelling sessions, individual interviews, and multimedia-supported reflection. The measurement of outcomes was conducted using validated scales for life meaning, self-efficacy, and death anxiety. Paired t -tests were then conducted to statistically analyze the pre- and post-intervention data. Results A substantial enhancement in the observed outcomes was evident subsequent to the intervention. The mean scores for the construct of life meaning increased from 2.28 ± 0.65 to 2.70 ± 0.52 ( P < 0.001), self-efficacy increased from 2.38 ± 0.58 to 2.88 ± 0.47 ( P < 0.001), and death anxiety decreased from 2.23 ± 0.57 to 2.71 ± 0.44 ( P < 0.001). The improvements demonstrated in this study were consistent across all subdomains of each measure, indicating a comprehensive psychological benefit. Conclusion The present study set out to investigate the hypothesis that structured group-based narrative nursing would significantly enhance psychological well-being among patients receiving palliative care. The findings support the integration of narrative interventions into holistic end-of-life care, particularly for improving existential outcomes.