Off-campus South Dakota State University users: To download campus access theses, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your South Dakota State University ID and password.
Non-South Dakota State University users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this thesis through interlibrary loan.
Document Type
DNP - University Access Only
Award Date
2018
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Graduate Nursing
First Advisor
Mary Isaacson
Keywords
palliative care, rural, PCKT, C-COPE, PPSv2, ELNEC
Abstract
Palliative care (PC) is an interdisciplinary approach to improving the quality of life of patients with life-threatening illnesses. The early implementation of PC may be delayed when healthcare professionals lack knowledge or have been inadequately trained in the delivery of PC, especially in the rural area where specialized PC programs are not readily available. A convenience sample of rural nurses received PC education based on the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium curriculum. A pre-/post-test approach using the Palliative Care Knowledge Test to measure nurses’ PC knowledge and the Comfort with Communication in Palliative and End of Life Care to assess comfort was utilized. A statistically significant increase in nurses’ PC knowledge occurred following education provision; no change in nurses’ comfort in end-of-life (EOL) and palliative communication was recognized. The Palliative Performance Scale Version 2 (PPSv2) was implemented as a nurse-driven PC screening tool. There was a seven-fold increase in the number of patients identified as PC candidates when compared to data from one year prior. No increase in PC referrals occurred. Recommendations for future projects include offering PC education to rural providers in addition to rural nurses, screening patients in the clinic setting using the PPSv2, and considering other factors that may affect nurse comfort in palliative and EOL communication since this DNP Project found no correlation between PC education and nurses’ comfort level.
Library of Congress Subject Headings
Palliative treatment.
Rural nurses -- Attitudes.
Description
Includes bibliographical references
Format
application/pdf
Number of Pages
118
Publisher
South Dakota State University
Rights
In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Recommended Citation
Pravecek, Brandi D., "Increasing Rural Nurses’ Knowledge and Comfort in Palliative Care" (2018). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Practice Innovation Projects. 96.
https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/con_dnp/96