Self-Perceived End-of-Life Care Competencies of Health-Care Providers at a Large Academic Medical Center

Abstract

Differences in self-perceived EOL care competencies were identified among disciplines, particularly between physicians and nurses. The results provide evidence for assessing health-care providers to identify their specific training needs before implementing educational programs on EOL care.

Instruments for assessing nurses’ palliative care knowledge and skills in specialised care setting: An integrative review

“…All of the studies were conducted using a quantitative method; however, a few studies also contained a minor qualitative component. The sample size varied from 90–7,922, and most of the participants were nurses, although two of the studies included other healthcare professionals, with the participation of the nurses reported separately (Lazenby, Ercolano, Schulman‐Green, & McCorkle, ; Montagnini, Smith, Price, Ghosh, & Strodtman, ).…”

“…The nurse's competence in the identification of the psychosocial needs of the patient included an ability to assess the emotional distress a patient experiences and, second, to recognise and understand the patient's grief and sorrow (Kim et al, ; Autor, Storey, & Ziemba‐Davis, ; Kim & Hwang, ; Iranmanesh et al, ; Price et al, ; Schnell‐Hoehn et al, ). Supporting the patient in coping with a life‐limiting illness meant that the nurse had to have the necessary skills to assist the patient in meeting their social needs, promote communication between family members (Desbiens & Fillion, ; Ly et al, ) and also provide care such that the patient and his or her family are able to identify resources to cope with the distress and bereavement the illness causes (Desbiens & Fillion, ; Ly et al, ; Price et al, ; Montagnini et al, ).…”

“…Spirituality included two subcategories: assessing and recognising patients’ spiritual needs and dealing with the spiritual perspectives of the patient. Spirituality included nurses’ skills in assessing and recognising the patient's spiritual needs and distress during the dying process, and the nurses’ capability in dealing with spiritual and religious perspectives as an element of care (Desbiens & Fillion, ; Ly et al, ; Price et al, ; Montagnini et al, ; Feder et al, ).…”

“…The cultural aspects of care included two subcategories: identifying cultural needs and considering the cultural aspects of the patient's care. Cultural aspects included nurses’ knowledge of cultural factors that affect the patient's care and their ability to support the patient in maintaining cultural traditions at the time of death (Desbiens & Fillion, ; Lazenby et al, ; Ly et al, ; Price et al, ; Feder et al, ; Montagnini et al, ).…”

“…The evaluation of patient's pain consisted of understanding the holistic nature of the pain and its connection to the life‐limiting illness and, furthermore, identifying the goals of pain management (Nakazawa et al, , ; Desbiens & Fillion, ; Choi et al, ; Sato et al, ; Chover‐Sierra et al, , ; Schnell‐Hoehn et al, ). Pain management required a knowledge of pharmacological treatments, as well as nonpharmacological and complementary interventions to alleviate pain (Desbiens & Fillion, ; Choi et al, ; Slatten et al, ; Price et al, ; Chover‐Sierra et al, , ; Schnell‐Hoehn et al, ; Montagnini et al, ).…”