Assessment of Palliative Care Knowledge Among Registered Nurses: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central India

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess palliative care knowledge among registered nurses working in a tertiary care hospital in Madhya Pradesh, India. Materials and Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 160 registered nurses working in various departments at a tertiary care hospital in Madhya Pradesh. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using an online questionnaire for socio-demographic variables and a validated self-report questionnaire to measure palliative care knowledge. Data were analyzed using IBM-SPSSv26. Results: A total of 160 participants enrolled in the study. Basic palliative care knowledge was relatively high among the sample (83.75%). Knowledge regarding pain management was high for items 1 and 2 (83.43%), but significantly lower for items 3, 4, and 5 (22%). Overall knowledge of pain management was 47%, indicating a need for improvement. The use of morphine was reported by 31.04% of nurses, dyspnea management by 38.33%, and communication of prognosis by 81.56%. Knowledge regarding resuscitation was 46.85%, psycho-spiritual care 24.06%, and bereavement care 69%. Conclusion: This study highlights a significant gap in palliative care knowledge among registered nurses. Improving the quality of palliative care services provided to patients requires enhancing nurses’ knowledge through in-service education and on-the-job retraining.