Mapping the Landscape of Palliative Wound Care: A Scoping Review of Systematic Reviews

Authors: David Ricci, Judith Quaranta, Laura Lipke

Field of Study: Adult-Gerontological Nursing

Faculty Mentors: Judith Quaranta

Easel: 76

Timeslot: Morning

Abstract: This research aims to map the systematic review evidence on palliative wound care, examine conceptualization across reviews, and identify evidence gaps. Five databases were searched (2015–2025) for systematic reviews addressing wound care in palliative or end-of-life settings. Two reviewers independently screened sources and extracted data. Six reviews met inclusion criteria: malignant/fungating wounds (n=4), pressure injuries (n=1), and general end-of-life skin integrity (n=1). JBI quality scores ranged from 4/11 to 10/11. Of 48 applicable wound type–intervention combinations, only 3 (6.3%) had robust systematic review evidence and 27 (56.3%) were complete gaps. Four high-priority evidence gaps were identified: dressings/topicals for malignant wounds, pressure injury prevention in palliative care, pain management, and odor management. The systematic review evidence base for palliative wound care is markedly fragmented, clustering around malignant wounds while fundamental nursing interventions such as dressings, pain management, odor control lack rigorous synthesis. These findings provide a prioritized roadmap for future systematic reviews. Non-cancer populations lack rigorous synthesis. These findings provide a roadmap for future systematic reviews.