Effectiveness of End-of-Life Training Program for Nurses in a Long-Term Palliative Care Setting: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Introduction: Palliative training programs, such as the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) curriculum, can equip nurses with the necessary skills and knowledge to cope with patients during end-of-life (EOL) situations. Still, limited studies were conducted in Asia to evaluate its impact on nurses' death anxiety and attitudes in Asia. Methods: This pilot study utilized a quantitative single-group pre-and post-test design and was conducted at a community hospital in Singapore between January 2018 and June 2019. Eighty-two nurses participated in ELNEC program, where a questionnaire was administered before and one month following the two-day workshops. Results: The ELNEC program improved death anxiety (FATCOD) scores from 117.98 to 129.09 (t = -11.38, p<0.01), which indicated a more positive attitude and reduced anxiety towards death encounters. Participants’ communication apprehension, using the CA-Dying scores, decreased from a pre-intervention mean of 92.96 to a post-intervention mean of 76.70 (t = 18.25, p<0.01). Implication: Faculty can utilize ELNEC resource to improve nurses’ knowledge and attitudes towards end-of-life situations in a long-term palliative care setting. Conclusion: This study supported the effectiveness of the ELNEC curriculum in equipping nurses with the necessary skills and knowledge to cope with patients during end-of-life (EOL) situations.