|
Abstract:
|
In the intensive care unit death is often complicated and unnatural due to technology, aggressive physician directed treatments prolonging death, lack of open communication between health care providers, patients and their families, and nurses’ misperceptions of what a quality end-of-life care encompasses. Research has indicated that formal and continuing education regarding the aspects of quality end-of-life care (EOLC) is void for the critical care nurse and if provided, can enhance the quality EOLC the dying patient will receive. The purpose of this study is to explore the critical care nurse’s personal perception of what quality EOLC involves and also evaluate the effects of how a formal, end-of-life continuing education curriculum will affect the critical care nurses’ delivery of a quality of care to the dying patient. Sister Callista Roy’s framework will be used to guide this study. Researchers will use a quasi- experimental one group pretest-posttest design that utilizes a historical comparison group and a post intervention group to survey impressions of the patient’s next of kin (NOK). Data will be collected using the Quality of Death and Dying questionnaire administered to families two to four weeks following the patient’s death in the ICU. Comparison will be made between scores achieved on the QODD before the ICU nursing education intervention and post education. Results of this study will add on nurses and other health care providers’ understanding about the effects of implementing an EOLC educational program on enhancing nurses’ knowledge and confidence of providing quality EOLC to the dying patient. |
