Evaluation of a Palliative and End-of-Life Care Education Program for Healthcare Workers

With growing global demand for high-quality palliative and end-of-life care in community-based settings, continuing education for care staff has become increasingly important. However, access to structured education remains limited, particularly in long-term care facilities. This study evaluated a palliative and end-of-life care education program comprising an education session and a focus group discussion using an embedded mixed-methods design. Thirty-nine healthcare workers from a small-scale, community-based facility participated in this study, and the online education was evaluated measuring four indicators-knowledge, confidence, and motivation, difficulties providing care, and job satisfaction-at three time points (before, after, and 3 months after), alongside qualitative data. Analysis indicated significant improvements in knowledge and confidence, with a notable reduction in difficulties observed 3 months post-program. While overall job satisfaction showed no significant change, the "enhanced sense of efficacy" sub-item increased significantly. Thematic analysis of focus group discussion and descriptive feedback confirmed enhanced knowledge and highlighted opportunities for further discussion. This suggests the program positively impacted care quality and job satisfaction. Long-term follow-up is suggested to confirm this effect and improve palliative and end-of-life care.