Evaluating an Initiative to Promote Entry-Level Competence in Palliative and End-of-Life Care for Registered Nurses...

Numerous competency statements have been developed for the purpose of guiding nurse educators and clinicians. Rarely, though, are there evaluations of the use of these competency statements in practice. In this cross-sectional descriptive study, nurse educators were surveyed to determine how the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) Palliative and End-of-Life Care Entry-to-Practice Competencies and Indicators are used in schools of nursing in Canada. Twenty-four respondents consented to participating in this study. Findings supported that some version of palliative and end-of-life care (PEOLC) education was offered at each school of nursing in Canada, and it was most commonly threaded throughout existing undergraduate courses. Data also suggested that if nurse educators were interested in PEOLC and had existing knowledge or expertise in PEOLC, the CASN Palliative and End-of-Life Care competency document was used to integrate content into curricula. This study provides some initial insights into the use of the CASN Palliative and End-of-Life Care competency document in Canadian schools of nursing. Implications for additional research, policy, education, and practice are discussed.