Date of Completion

10-29-2015

Embargo Period

10-29-2015

Keywords

palliative care, self-efficacy, long-term care, nursing home, RNs, LPNs, ELNEC

Major Advisor

Colleen Delaney

Associate Advisor

Millicent Malcolm

Associate Advisor

Cynthia Kociszewski

Field of Study

Nursing

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Open Access

Open Access

Abstract

As of 2014, nearly 6,000,000 people in the United States need palliative care. Almost 2,000,000 people with chronic, serious illnesses currently reside in long-term care facilities. Palliative care aims to relieve suffering and provide the best possible quality of life. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of an education intervention to increase nurses’ knowledge and self-efficacy in palliative care practice in long-term care settings. A secondary aim of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference in palliative care self-efficacy between registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs). A two-group quasi-experimental design was used to compare knowledge and self-efficacy scores of an attention-control group and the palliative care education intervention group at two distinct, large long-term care facilities. Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy was used as the theoretical framework for this study. Statistical analysis using paired t test for pre- and post-intervention knowledge and self-efficacy scores was performed within groups. Independent t-tests were performed to compare scores between groups. Analysis of covariance was used to determine if there were differences in the self-efficacy mean scores between RNs and LPNs after controlling for site, age, and years of nursing practice.

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