TY - JOUR
T1 - A Japanese region-wide survey of the knowledge, difficulties and self-reported palliative care practices among nurses
AU - Sato, Kazuki
AU - Inoue, Yoko
AU - Umeda, Megumi
AU - Ishigamori, Ichie
AU - Igarashi, Ayumi
AU - Togashi, Sei
AU - Harada, Kumiko
AU - Miyashita, Masako
AU - Sakuma, Yumi
AU - Oki, Junko
AU - Yoshihara, Ritsuko
AU - Eguchi, Kenji
PY - 2014/8
Y1 - 2014/8
N2 - Objective: We investigated palliative care knowledge, difficulty and self-reported practice among a region-wide sample of nurses who cared for cancer patients in Japan. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was distributed to 9 designated cancer centers, 17 community hospitals and 73 district nurse services across 4 regions in 2008. We used the Palliative Care Knowledge Test, the Palliative Care Difficulty Scale (fivepoint Likert scale) and the Palliative Care Self-Reported Practices Scale (five-point Likert scale). Results: In total, 2378 out of 3008 nurses (79%) responded. The knowledge, difficulty and self-reported practice scores were 51±20%, 3.2±0.7 and 3.7±0.6, respectively. In the knowledge test, philosophy scored highest (88±26%) and psychiatric problems scored lowest (37±29%). In the difficulty test, alleviating symptoms scored most difficult (3.5±0.8) and providing expert support scored least difficult (2.9±1.3). In the self-reported practice questionnaire, pain and delirium relief were most frequently (4.0±0.8) and least frequently (3.1±0.9) provided, respectively. Knowledge was significantly poorer in community hospitals (P = 0.035); difficulty scores were significantly higher in community hospitals (P<0.001) and district nurse services (P = 0.013); and self-reported practice scores were significantly poorer in community hospitals (P < 0.001) but superior in district nurse services (P < 0.001) than in designated cancer centers. Conclusions: Knowledge, difficulty and self-reported practice for symptom management, particularly psychological symptoms, were insufficient, particularly in community hospitals. Education, expert support and adequate clinical experiences would help provide quality palliative care.
AB - Objective: We investigated palliative care knowledge, difficulty and self-reported practice among a region-wide sample of nurses who cared for cancer patients in Japan. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was distributed to 9 designated cancer centers, 17 community hospitals and 73 district nurse services across 4 regions in 2008. We used the Palliative Care Knowledge Test, the Palliative Care Difficulty Scale (fivepoint Likert scale) and the Palliative Care Self-Reported Practices Scale (five-point Likert scale). Results: In total, 2378 out of 3008 nurses (79%) responded. The knowledge, difficulty and self-reported practice scores were 51±20%, 3.2±0.7 and 3.7±0.6, respectively. In the knowledge test, philosophy scored highest (88±26%) and psychiatric problems scored lowest (37±29%). In the difficulty test, alleviating symptoms scored most difficult (3.5±0.8) and providing expert support scored least difficult (2.9±1.3). In the self-reported practice questionnaire, pain and delirium relief were most frequently (4.0±0.8) and least frequently (3.1±0.9) provided, respectively. Knowledge was significantly poorer in community hospitals (P = 0.035); difficulty scores were significantly higher in community hospitals (P<0.001) and district nurse services (P = 0.013); and self-reported practice scores were significantly poorer in community hospitals (P < 0.001) but superior in district nurse services (P < 0.001) than in designated cancer centers. Conclusions: Knowledge, difficulty and self-reported practice for symptom management, particularly psychological symptoms, were insufficient, particularly in community hospitals. Education, expert support and adequate clinical experiences would help provide quality palliative care.
KW - Attitude
KW - Neoplasm
KW - Nurse
KW - Palliative care
KW - Practice
KW - Terminal care
KW - health knowledge
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U2 - 10.1093/jjco/hyu075
DO - 10.1093/jjco/hyu075
M3 - Article
C2 - 24948699
AN - SCOPUS:84905218165
VL - 44
SP - 718
EP - 728
JO - Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology
JF - Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology
SN - 0368-2811
IS - 8
M1 - hyu075
ER -