Inpatient hospital nurses need more education and self-competency in palliative care, particularly around psychosocial and spiritual care, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley found.
Researchers surveyed 129 registered nurses across three Colorado hospitals, according to a June 16 news release from Aurora-based University of Colorado Anschutz. The University of Northern Colorado and Anschutz are affiliated through the Colorado School of Public Health. For the study, nurses’ knowledge, attitude and self-reported competence in palliative care delivery were assessed and scored.
Here is what to know:
1. Nurses frequently reported discomfort initiating conversations about death and addressing patients’ spiritual needs. This discomfort translated into paternalistic behavior toward patients. Nurses with higher educational attainment and greater self-reported competence demonstrated more positive attitudes toward end-of-life care overall.
2. Nurses received a wide variation in formal palliative care education, as well as in their personal caregiving experience — two factors that correlated with differences in confidence and attitude.
3. The findings point to a clear need for structured educational interventions in inpatient settings covering pain management, communication skills and psychosocial and spiritual care, the release said.
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