title: An Online Educational Program Improves Pediatric Oncology Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Spiritual Care Competence.
abstract: This study evaluated the potential impact of an online spiritual care educational program on pediatric nurses' attitudes toward and knowledge of spiritual care and their competence to provide spiritual care to children with cancer at the end of life. It was hypothesized that the intervention would increase nurses' positive attitudes toward and knowledge of spiritual care and increase nurses' level of perceived spiritual care competence. A positive correlation was expected between change in nurses' perceived attitudes toward and knowledge of spiritual care and change in nurses' perceived spiritual care competence. A prospective, longitudinal design was employed, and analyses included one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance, linear regression, and partial correlation. Statistically significant differences were found in nurses' attitudes toward and knowledge of spiritual care and nurses' perceived spiritual care competence. There was a positive relationship between change scores in nurses' attitudes toward and knowledge of spiritual care and nurses' spiritual care competence. Online spiritual care educational programs may exert a lasting impact on nurses' attitudes toward and knowledge of spiritual care and their competence to provide spiritual care to children with cancer at the end of life. Additional studies are required to evaluate the direct effects of educational interventions patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: 1 Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.affiliation: 2 Loyola University, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret Faut
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Callahan
authors.affiliation: 1 Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Donna O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: 1 Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Ronda G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: 3 Free to Breathe, Madison, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: White-Traut
authors.affiliation: 1 Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Naveen K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Bansal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000193:education*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D026443:Spiritual Therapies / Q000451:nursing*
keywords: pediatric oncology; spiritual care education