title: End-of-life nursing care: statewide survey of nurses' education needs and effects of education.
abstract: Research suggests persistent deficiencies in end-of-life nursing care practice and the education to support that care. Inadequate numbers of nurses have received this education, either as a component of undergraduate education or as professional development in the form of continuing education. Minimal information exists on specific end-of-life care education needs of practicing nurses, and few end-of-life care education initiatives have been systematically evaluated. The need for additional outcome evaluation persists. In this study, nurses in one state were surveyed (n = 567) to explore end-of-life care attitude/belief, knowledge/skill, and prior education. Results revealed that a majority of respondents had neither formal end-of-life education nor continuing education in this area, and significant knowledge deficiencies appeared on 21 of 23 end-of-life care topics. Nurses having formal end-of-life nursing care instruction during initial nursing education failed to score better on objective knowledge/skill questions. Nurses with end-of-life nursing care continuing education scored significantly better across survey subsections. To identify and respond to persistent shortfalls in end-of-life care nursing practice and education needs, nurse educators must continue to investigate and systematically evaluate outcomes associated with end-of-life education initiatives.
authors.affiliation: Valdosta State University, College of Nursing, Valdosta, GA 31698, USA. mcschlai@valdosta.edu
authors.forename: Maura C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Schlairet
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D004506:Education, Nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009729:Nursing; D013727:Terminal Care; D014481:United States