End-of-life care: and educational intervention for rural nurses in southeastern USA.

AIM: To assess the impact of three educational presentations as an intervention for increasing knowledge of end-of-life care for rural nurses in assisted living and nursing home environments. DESIGN: A repeated measures design (quantitative component) evaluated the effects of the educational interve...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:International Journal of Palliative Nursing Vol. 12; no. 11; pp. 526 - 535
Autores principales: Easom LR, Galatas S, Warda M
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Mark Allen Holdings Limited Nov2006
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:AIM: To assess the impact of three educational presentations as an intervention for increasing knowledge of end-of-life care for rural nurses in assisted living and nursing home environments. DESIGN: A repeated measures design (quantitative component) evaluated the effects of the educational intervention. Two open-ended questions yielded qualitative data. SAMPLE AND SETTING: A convenience sample (n = 9) of Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses employed in an assisted living facility or nursing home in the rural, southeastern region of the USA. Level of nursing experience ranged from 6 to 28 years. ANALYSIS: Frequency distributions, difference of means test for paired samples. RESULTS: Post test scores were significantly higher (t = 6.999; p < 0.001) than pretest scores regarding overall knowledge on end-of-life care. Attitudes and perceptions of participants changed in defining what constitutes a 'good death'. CONCLUSIONS: Classroom educational presentations are an effective means of changing attitudes and improving end-of-life care knowledge. Additional education and support for rural nursing personnel involved with residents of long-term care may enhance end-of-life care.