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Transforming Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward End-of-Life Care
Pamela Mahan1, Helen Taggart, Greg Knofczynski
1Pamela Mahan, PhD, RN, is professor of nursing, Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus, School of Nursing, Savannah. Helen Taggart, PhD, RN, is professor of nursing, Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus, School of Nursing, Savannah. Greg Knofczynski, PhD, is associate professor of mathematics, Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus, Savannah. Sherry Warnock, MSN, RN, is instructor and simulation lab coordinator, Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus, Savannah.
This study compared actual hospice care with simulated hospice experiences for nursing students. Both methods positively impacted attitudes toward end-of-life care, suggesting increased comfort in caring for dying patients.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Palliative Care
- Healthcare Simulation
Background:
- End-of-life care is a critical nursing competency.
- Baccalaureate nursing curricula require integration of end-of-life care education.
- Evaluating clinical experiences for end-of-life care competency is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the outcomes of actual hospice clinical experience versus simulated hospice clinical experience.
- To examine the impact of these experiences on nursing students' attitudes toward end-of-life care.
Main Methods:
- A pretest-posttest nonequivalent 2-group design was used with 65 undergraduate nursing students.
- One group (n=33) participated in home visits with a hospice nurse.
- The other group (n=32) engaged in simulated hospice clinical experiences on campus.
- Attitudes were measured using the Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying scale before and after the intervention.
Main Results:
- Both the actual hospice and simulated hospice groups showed positive changes in attitudes toward end-of-life care.
- Mean scores on the Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying scale increased in both groups post-intervention.
- Findings suggest increased student comfort in caring for dying patients regardless of the clinical experience type.
Conclusions:
- Both actual and simulated hospice clinical experiences can positively influence nursing students' attitudes toward end-of-life care.
- Simulation offers a viable alternative or supplement to traditional hospice clinicals.
- Nursing education should prioritize developing competencies in end-of-life care through diverse clinical approaches.