Nurses’ Knowledge and Practices about Palliative Care among Cancer Patient in a University Hospital - Egypt

Background: Comprehensive cancer care requires the integration of palliative care practices and principles across the trajectory of the cancer experience and may be the sole focus of care for those patients with advanced incurable disease. As the incidence of cancer increases worldwide and the burden of cancer rises, especially in low and middle resource countries, the need for palliative care is greater than ever before and this care is most effectively provided by a multidisciplinary team. Because nurses have integral roles on that team by; identifying symptoms, providing care coordination, and assuring clear communication, so assessing nurses’ knowledge and performance of palliative care is important. Aim of the study: to assess the nurses’ knowledge and practices of palliative care among cancer patients. Sample: A sample of convenience including thirty male and female nurses who are working in the Intensive Care Unit. Research Design: A descriptive/exploratory research design was utilized in the current study. Setting: This study was conducted at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University. Tools: Two tools were developed by the researcher and utilized to collect data pertinent to the study; A structured knowledge assessment questionnaire, and performance observational checklist. Included nurses were interviewed to fill out the knowledge assessment questionnaire then each nurse was observed in three different occasions using nurses' observational checklist. Results: About half of the studied sample were at the age group of 18-25, with a mean age of 26.53 + SD= 6.29, married, graduated from technical nursing institute. Around one third of the studied sample had years of experience ranged from 5 to <10 years. Concerning knowledge, and practice the current study revealed that the studied nurses had unsatisfactory knowledge as well as practice level, with mean scores of 57.7% of 26.53 + SD= 613.28, and 51.09 + SD =9.17 respectively. There is positive correlation between years of experience and age (r = 0.893,at p < 0.000); years of experience and total practices scores (0.437, at p< 0.016); general knowledge scores and physical symptoms (r= 0.389, at p0.033); physical symptoms and psychological symptoms and total knowledge scores(r = 0.683 at p< 0.000;r=0.949,at p<0.000); psychological symptoms and total knowledge scores(r=0.788,at p<0.000) respectively. Conclusion: There is need for continuing education for upgrading nurse’ knowledge about palliative care. Recommendations: enrichment of all nurses at any educational institute about knowledge and practices related to palliative care according to the standard guidelines will be helpful to achieve quality of life. Also replication of this study on larger probability sample at the different geographical location at Egypt is highly recommended. Keywords: Palliative care – Cancer patients – nurses' knowledge – nurses’ practice