BACKGROUND: The quality of care provided to dying long-term care (LTC) residents is often inadequate, which may be due to the lack of formal training that LTC staff receive in palliative care (PC). The present cross-sectional study assessed PC knowledge and self-efficacy in ability to provide PC in a sample of registered nurses working in LTC homes. METHOD: A survey was conducted in four LTC homes in October 2009 to June 2010. Nursing staff knowledge of PC was evaluated using the Palliative Care Quiz for Nurses (PCQN). The Self-Efficacy in End-of-Life Care Survey (S-EOLC) was used to measure nursing staff confidence in their ability to provide PC. FINDINGS: Close to 60% of the nursing staff participated (69 of 119). The participants did not score highly on the PCQN: the average correct score ranged from 52.50% to 63.41% across the homes. There were no significant differences between the homes for the mean number of correct responses on the PCQN (P=0.329) or mean scores for the three S-EOLC subscales. Rank ordering of the percentage of correct PCQN answers by item and LTC home demonstrated that similar misconceptions were held across homes. CONCLUSION: Despite their confidence in PC practice, the participants' PC knowledge gap reveals a need for PC training for staff working in LTC homes. The PC education and training provided should both include a gerontological perspective and address the expertise and knowledge already held by staff.
BACKGROUND: The quality of care provided to dying long-term care (LTC) residents is often inadequate, which may be due to the lack of formal training that LTC staff receive in palliative care (PC). The present cross-sectional study assessed PC knowledge and self-efficacy in ability to provide PC in a sample of registered nurses working in LTC homes. METHOD: A survey was conducted in four LTC homes in October 2009 to June 2010. Nursing staff knowledge of PC was evaluated using the Palliative Care Quiz for Nurses (PCQN). The Self-Efficacy in End-of-Life Care Survey (S-EOLC) was used to measure nursing staff confidence in their ability to provide PC. FINDINGS: Close to 60% of the nursing staff participated (69 of 119). The participants did not score highly on the PCQN: the average correct score ranged from 52.50% to 63.41% across the homes. There were no significant differences between the homes for the mean number of correct responses on the PCQN (P=0.329) or mean scores for the three S-EOLC subscales. Rank ordering of the percentage of correct PCQN answers by item and LTC home demonstrated that similar misconceptions were held across homes. CONCLUSION: Despite their confidence in PC practice, the participants' PC knowledge gap reveals a need for PC training for staff working in LTC homes. The PC education and training provided should both include a gerontological perspective and address the expertise and knowledge already held by staff.
Authors: Lieve Van den Block; Elisabeth Honinx; Lara Pivodic; Rose Miranda; Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen; Hein van Hout; H Roeline W Pasman; Mariska Oosterveld-Vlug; Maud Ten Koppel; Ruth Piers; Nele Van Den Noortgate; Yvonne Engels; Myrra Vernooij-Dassen; Jo Hockley; Katherine Froggatt; Sheila Payne; Katarzyna Szczerbinska; Marika Kylänen; Giovanni Gambassi; Sophie Pautex; Catherine Bassal; Stefanie De Buysser; Luc Deliens; Tinne Smets Journal: JAMA Intern Med Date: 2020-02-01 Impact factor: 21.873
Authors: Cecilia Håkanson; Berit Seiger Cronfalk; Eva Henriksen; Astrid Norberg; Britt-Marie Ternestedt; Jonas Sandberg Journal: Open Nurs J Date: 2015-01-22
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Authors: Alice Coffey; Geraldine McCarthy; Elizabeth Weathers; M Isabel Friedman; Katherine Gallo; Mally Ehrenfeld; Sophia Chan; William H C Li; Piera Poletti; Renzo Zanotti; D William Molloy; Ciara McGlade; Joyce J Fitzpatrick; Michal Itzhaki Journal: Int J Nurs Pract Date: 2016-01-28 Impact factor: 2.066