Background Nurse staffing interventions have been introduced across countries in recent years in response to changing patient requirements, developments in patient care, and shortages of qualified nursing staff. These include changes in skill mix, grade mix or qualification mix, staffing levels, nursing shifts or nurses' work patterns. Nurse staffing has been closely linked to patient outcomes, organisational outcomes such as costs, and staff-related outcomes. Objectives Our aim was to explore the effect of hospital nurse staffing models on patient and staff-related outcomes.

Background Nurse staffing interventions have been introduced across countries in recent years in response to changing patient requirements, developments in patient care, and shortages of qualified nursing staff. These include changes in skill mix, grade mix or qualification mix, staffing levels, nursing shifts or nurses' work patterns. Nurse staffing has been closely linked to patient outcomes, organisational outcomes such as costs, and staff-related outcomes. Objectives Our aim was to explore the effect of hospital nurse staffing models on patient and staff-related outcomes.

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Ensuring dignity is a key aspect of palliative and end-of-life care; however, community nurses may not feel equipped to address this aspect of care. Implementing a dignity care intervention can assist in identifying patient dignity-related concerns and provision of holistic care. Community nurses need more training to assist in difficult conversations relating to dignity and end-of-life care.

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Background: A key aspect to the provision of palliative care is maintaining the dignity of the individual being cared for. Nurses working in the community setting need knowledge and skills to meet the needs of individuals who need palliative care and their families. Dignity Care Intervention Ireland is a community-based pilot project designed to implement a dignity care intervention for individuals with a life-limiting condition living in their own home. As part of the overall intervention, an education programme was developed for nurses working in the community. Method: Completion of a locally-designed questionnaire pre- and post-education. Results: Nurses working in the community setting welcomed and highly valued the Dignity Care Intervention Ireland education programme. There was an overall improvement in the understanding of palliative care for both groups and improved understanding of the principles of palliative care, with self-evaluated competence to apply these principles in daily clinical practice. Conclusion: The importance of education about palliative care to support the delivery of dignity-preserving care cannot be underestimated. Ensuring nurses have the requisite knowledge will enhance future practice development and subsequently improve care for patients with life-limiting conditions and their families.

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