KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTION ON END-OF-LIFE- CARE, DEATH AND DYING AMONG PALLIATIVE NURSES

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Every individual deserved to have good death. Good death is 'peaceful and dignified' without unnecessary suffering of dying. Nursing perspective of 'a good death' is centred in the ability to provide comfort to all involved. Even though many studies have highlighted nurses' perspectives on end-of-life-care, this is the first study conducted among Malaysian nurses'. AIM: This study aims to investigate palliative nurses' knowledge and perception on end-of-life-care, death and dying. METHODS: A survey was conducted using questionnaire among 177 palliative nurses working in a urban hospital, RESULTS: Majority of the respondents (75%) had good knowledge on end of life care but have poor perception on end-of-life- care (57%), experiences towards moment of death (56%) and experience at the end-of-life (86%). Only 31 (15.5%) scored good perception on the overall care. The chi(2) statistic showed a significant relationship between age and work experience with nurses and perception on end-of-life- care at p value of <0.05. DISCUSSION: Although efforts are being made to improve nurses knowledge on end of life care, practicing nurses still lack of knowledge in providing end-of-life -care and the study findings shows poor perception on end of life care, death and dying. One of the reasons could be due to lack of experience with majority of nurses have less than 1 year experience and below 30 years old. CONCLUSION: Continued practice development is needed in improving end- of- life- care.