Investigating the educational needs of licensed nursing staff and certified nursing assistants in nursing homes regarding end-of-life care

Nursing homes care for people at the end of life (EOL). There is evidence to suggest, however, that nursing staff in these settings is often unprepared to provide a high level of EOL care. This article reports the findings from three preliminary studies that investigated the needs of licensed staff...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of hospice & palliative medicine Vol. 16; no. 4; p. 573
Main Authors Ersek, M, Kraybill, B M, Hansberry, J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.07.1999
Subjects
Attitude of Health Personnel
Focus Groups
Humans
Job Description
Needs Assessment - organization & administration
Nurses' Aides - education
Nurses' Aides - psychology
Nursing Homes
Nursing Staff - education
Nursing Staff - psychology
Staff Development
Surveys and Questionnaires
Terminal Care
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Summary:Nursing homes care for people at the end of life (EOL). There is evidence to suggest, however, that nursing staff in these settings is often unprepared to provide a high level of EOL care. This article reports the findings from three preliminary studies that investigated the needs of licensed staff and certified nursing assistants in nursing homes regarding EOL care. The studies involved needs assessment surveys, focus group interviews with staff members, and telephone interviews with nursing home administrators. Data show that the major needs included a lack of knowledge and skills in symptom management; communication difficulties; conflicts with families and physicians; and emotional distress in dealing with time constraints and attachment to residents. Implications for nursing home staff education are described.
ISSN:1049-9091
DOI:10.1177/104990919901600406