Examining the Satisfaction Levels of Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses in Education, Clinical Confidence and Knowledge of Self Care Practice

The purpose of this descriptive exploratory research study was to measure hospice and palliative care registered nurses self-reported information on end of life education and self- care practices including overall satisfaction with end of life education, self-rating of clinical confidence and knowledge of self-care practice. As no tool for measuring this was found in literature, this study included development of a new survey tool. Participants were solicited on a volunteer basis at end of life conferences and professional meetings for a period of ninety days. A total of 88 surveys were returned. Results revealed that the majority of respondents reported the primary contributor of knowledge in end of life care was through their job, followed by attendance at a conference, and through self-study. Over 67% of nurses rated their knowledge of self-care as “very good” or “excellent”, and over 55% rated their overall satisfaction with end-of-life education as “very good” or “excellent”