Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.24141/1/8/1/7
Thoughts and level of knowledge about palliative care among nursing students in Dubrovnik
Vedrana Iveta
; Dubrovnik Health Center, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Mara Županić
; University of Applied Health Sciences in Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Dubravka Bartolek Hamp
; University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Anita Miljas
; General hospital Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Abstract
Introduction: Palliative care (PC) is still a big unknown. Today, after about 10 years of active use of this term in our country, a lack of knowledge is still quite common, both among health professionals and in the rest of the population. The term itself bears a “stigma” caused by insufficient knowledge and education. It is education that is the key element in the more active use of PC resources in all stages of the disease in patients who need such care. PC is a comprehensive care appropriate for a seriously ill patient whose needs are recognized and met using a multidisciplinary and holistic approach.
The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of nursing students about palliative care and to determine the extent to which their age, education, and experience or occupation have an impact on their thinking about palliative care.
Research methods: The study was conducted using a voluntary and anonymous survey of students at the undergraduate and graduate levels of study of Nursing at the University of Dubrovnik. The survey included employed and unemployed students, and students from both medical and non medical professions. The measuring instrument used in this study was a standardized PCQN (Palliative Care Quiz for Nurses) questionnaire. The questionnaire contains 20 questions related to the philosophy of palliative care, control of pain and associated disease symptoms, and psychological, spiritual, and social issues of PC. The possible answers were “correct”, “incorrect”, and “I do not know”. Correct answers were awarded one point while incorrect answers and the answer “I do not know” were awarded zero points. The statistical analysis used the analysis of variance (ANOVA) along with the Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test.
Results: The majority of respondents thought that it was good that a course on PC has been introduced into the study plan (55.4%). No student provided more than 12 correct answers. A comparison with similar studies shows that the respondents have a basic level of knowledge.
Keywords
nurse; nursing study; palliative care; PCQN questionnaire
Hrčak ID:
271957
URI
Publication date:
3.2.2022.
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