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Are undergraduate nurses taught palliative care during their training?
Mari Lloyd-Williams1, David Field
1Community Studies Unite, University of Liverpool Medical School, Whelan Building, Brownlow Hill, UK.
Nurse Education Today
|October 18, 2002
Summary
Undergraduate nursing students receive limited palliative care education, with diploma students averaging 7.8 hours and degree students 12.2 hours. This study highlights the need for increased palliative care training for nurses.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Palliative Care
Background:
- Over 90% of hospital beds are occupied by patients with chronic, life-threatening illnesses.
- Many of these patients require palliative care.
- Nurses play a crucial role in delivering palliative care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the extent of palliative care teaching in undergraduate nursing programs.
- To compare palliative care education hours for nursing students with those of medical students.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire was distributed to senior tutors of entry-level nursing courses.
- 108 questionnaires were sent, with a 40% response rate.
- Data on palliative care teaching hours were collected from diploma and degree nursing courses.
Main Results:
- Diploma students received a mean of 7.8 hours of palliative care teaching; degree students received 12.2 hours.
- This is less than the 20 hours offered to UK undergraduate medical students.
- Teaching was predominantly theoretical and seldom formally assessed.
- Tutors cited a lack of skilled palliative care educators and limited clinical placements as major challenges.
Conclusions:
- Current palliative care education for nurses is insufficient.
- There is a growing need for nurses skilled in palliative care principles, especially with its application to non-oncology patients.
- Enhanced palliative care training for all nurses is essential.