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Determination of End-of-Life Care Educational Needs: A Survey Of Perceived Preparation and Competency of Acute Care Nurses

Downey, Wendy R
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8467-4912
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1448830067

Abstract Details

2015, Doctor of Nursing Practice , Case Western Reserve University, School of Nursing.
Problem: Nurses are key players in providing end-of-life (EOL) care in the hospital due to their constant bedside presence. However, nurses may be unprepared for the roles they assume while caring for dying patients and their family members, without the knowledge and skills needed to provide quality EOL care. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the preparation and competencies for EOL care as perceived by acute care bedside nurses and to determine their EOL care educational needs and desires. Methods: Two-hundred seventy-nine nurses from acute care units working with patients at EOL at three hospitals in southwest Virginia were asked to participate in this descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study. Fifty-five nurses completed the End of Life Care – Educational Needs Survey, measuring nurses’ perceptions of knowledge/skills, attitudes/beliefs, competency and desire for education on 23 EOL topics. The survey response rate was 19.7%. Results: Although the attitudes/beliefs of nurses of EOL care were very positive (M=4.22), less than 50% of nurses described themselves as competent in 21 of 23 EOL topics. Fewer rated themselves as competent in overall skill (40.7%) and overall knowledge (33.4%) in EOL care. Attitudes/beliefs scores were positively correlated with the competency scale scores (r=0.42, p<0.01), overall knowledge competency scores (r=0.35, p=0.01), and overall skills competency scores (r=0.28, p<0.05). Nurses with higher attitudes/beliefs scores were also more likely to have higher total knowledge scores (r=0.59, p<0.001), subjective knowledge scores, (r=0.38, p<0.01) and objective knowledge scores (r=0.51, p<0.001). Those who had completed EOL education/training in the last five years had higher scores on the competency scale (r=0.43, p<0.001), overall knowledge competency scores (r=0.56, p<0.001), and overall skills competency scores (r=0.43, p=0.001). While only 29.1% had formal EOL instruction in their initial nursing education program, these nurses had higher scores for subjective knowledge (t=4.48, df=43, p<0.001) and competency scale scores (t=2.03, df=44, p<0.05). At least 80% of the nurses indicated a desire for education on all EOL topics presented. Conclusions: The results indicate that, although nurses have positive attitudes/beliefs about EOL care, they perceive a significant deficit in EOL knowledge/skills and competencies in providing care to patients. The need for EOL education is remarkably evident and is underscored by the nurses’ desire for comprehensive continuing education. It is therefore paramount that nurses’ EOL education needs be met to provide quality care to patients at the end of life.
Barbara Daly (Committee Chair)
MaryJo Prince-Paul (Committee Member)
Elizabeth Madigan (Committee Member)
92 p.
Nursing
end-of-life; nursing; education; acute care; competency; palliative care

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Downey, W. R. (2015). Determination of End-of-Life Care Educational Needs: A Survey Of Perceived Preparation and Competency of Acute Care Nurses [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1448830067

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Downey, Wendy. Determination of End-of-Life Care Educational Needs: A Survey Of Perceived Preparation and Competency of Acute Care Nurses. 2015. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1448830067.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Downey, Wendy. "Determination of End-of-Life Care Educational Needs: A Survey Of Perceived Preparation and Competency of Acute Care Nurses." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=casednp1448830067

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

casednp1448830067
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© 2015, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University Doctor of Nursing Practice and OhioLINK.