title: Impact of a nursing education program about caring for patients in Japan with malignant pleural mesothelioma on nurses' knowledge, difficulties and attitude: a randomized control trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Japan nursing care lags behind the growing population of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. This study evaluated an educational program for nurses about caring for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma in Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this randomized controlled study relative to care for malignant pleural mesothelioma, Knowledge, Difficulties and Attitude were measured at baseline, at post-test and at follow-up one month later. The two-day program with a half-day follow-up program included lectures, group work, role-playing and group discussion. 188 participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (program, n=96) and control group (n=92; self-study by a similar content handbook). At baseline the groups showed no statistical differences in Knowledge (p=0.921), Difficulty (p=0.458) and Attitude (p=0.922). Completing the study were 177 participants yielding 88 in the intervention group and 89 in the control group. Human rights and privacy of participants were protected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Knowledge score was significantly higher in the intervention post-test (t=14.03, p=0.000) and follow-up test (t=8.98, p=0.000). Difficulty score was significantly lower in the intervention at post-test (t=-3.41, p=0.001) and follow-up test (t=-3.70, p=0.000). The Attitude score was significantly higher in the intervention post-test (t=7.11, p=0.000) and follow-up test (t=4.54, p=0.000). The two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures on time showed an interaction between time and group; the subsequent simple main effect test found significant differences (p=0.000-0.001) between groups for after-program and at follow-up and a significant difference (p=0.000) in time only within the intervention group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The educational program was effective in improving the nurses' knowledge and attitude toward malignant pleural mesothelioma care and decreasing the difficulty in MPM care, therefore this program has potential for nurses' in-service education throughout Japan.
authors.affiliation: St. Luke's College of Nursing, Japan. Electronic address: sarah-nagamatsu@slcn.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagamatsu
authors.affiliation: Hirano Kameido Himawari Clinic, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Natori
authors.affiliation: St. Luke's College of Nursing, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yanai
authors.affiliation: St. Luke's College of Nursing, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horiuchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000451:nursing*; D000086002:Mesothelioma, Malignant; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D015397:Program Evaluation
keywords: Attitude; Difficulty; Education; Knowledge; Mesothelioma; Nurse; RCT