Facing the Inevitable: Preparing Nurses to Deliver End-of-Life Care

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Palliative Care
• Healthcare Ethics

Background:

• Healthcare providers have an ethical duty to alleviate end-of-life (EOL) suffering.
• Formal education on EOL care principles is often lacking for healthcare professionals.
• There is a need to improve EOL care education for nurses and nursing students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of an EOL care education initiative.
• To evaluate the potential benefits of this educational program for senior nursing students and practicing nurses.
• To measure changes in knowledge regarding EOL care principles.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was used, collecting data on recruitment, retention, and implementation.
• The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium-Knowledge Assessment Test was administered pre- and post-workshop.
• A mixed-effects linear model analyzed changes in knowledge scores; satisfaction and demographic data were also collected.

Main Results:

• A total of 43 participants (19 students, 24 nurses) completed the study.
• Post-workshop scores showed a statistically significant increase in EOL care knowledge (P = .0001).
• Participant satisfaction with the education initiative was positive, though retention was impacted by COVID-19.

Conclusions:

• The EOL care education initiative is both feasible and beneficial for improving nursing knowledge.
• The findings underscore the importance of structured EOL care education in nursing curricula and practice.
• Addressing the unique needs of EOL patients requires adequately trained healthcare providers.