End-of-life care knowledge of Fourth Year Nursing Students, Faculty of Nursing, Thammasat University

Abstract

Purpose: To study the end-of-life care knowledge of fourth-year nursing students, Faculty of Nursing, Thammasat University.

Design: Descriptive research.

Methods: The participants included 81 fourth-year nursing students of the academic year of 2017. These students completed all learning courses and preparing for graduation. Instruments used for collecting data included: 1) a demographic data form, and 2) the Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing [PCQN]. The PCQN was tested for reliability with the KR-20 method among 30 fourth-year nursing students, faculty of nursing, Suan Dusit University and yielded 0.81. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data.

Results: The results showed that the fourth-year nursing students, Faculty of Nursing, Thammasat University had the average score of end-of-life care knowledge in a low level ( = 11.26, SD = 2.36). Based on the components of end-of-life care knowledge, the average score of general knowledge and the average score of symptom management were in low level (   = 2.38, SD = 1.14;  = 6.62, SD = 1.87). The average score of the component of psychosocial and spiritual care was in a moderate level ( = 2.26, SD = 0.49).

Conclusion: The results of this study can be used for teaching and learning development as well as for creating training programs to improve end-of-life care knowledge for nursing students.