What health care providers know (and need to know) about palliative care

Health care education has been widely criticized for not providing training in end-of-life care. Despite calls from various scientific and professional organizations for formal educational improvement, most education in this area is "on the job." The current project is a secondary analysis of a surveyed convenience sample (n = 608) of health care providers in Kansas to determine knowledge, background, perceptions, and opinions about pain management and end-of-life care. The sample was primarily nurses (73%), with a small representation of other disciplines. The results of the survey indicate that providers believe they are ill prepared to provide palliative care and want professional education to improve knowledge and skills in this area. In addition, they state a need for increased support from insurers and legal and regulatory agencies to provide an acceptable standard of care. Providers responding to the survey also believe there is a significant need for patient education in this area.