TY - JOUR
T1 - Changes in Nurses’ Knowledge, Difficulties, and Self-reported Practices Toward Palliative Care for Cancer Patients in Japan
T2 - An Analysis of Two Nationwide Representative Surveys in 2008 and 2015
AU - Nakazawa, Yoko
AU - Kato, Masashi
AU - Miyashita, Mitsunori
AU - Morita, Tatsuya
AU - Kizawa, Yoshiyuki
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by Health Labour Sciences Research Grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (grant number: H25-ganrinsyo-sitei-003 ). The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to declare. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the nurses who participated in the study and the institutions to which they belong.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
PY - 2018/2
Y1 - 2018/2
N2 - Context: The Cancer Control Act was passed in Japan in 2007, and various additional programs on palliative care have been implemented to improve quality of life and relieve pain and suffering in patients with cancer. However, how clinical settings have changed remains unclear. Objectives: The primary aim of the present study was to determine changes in nurses’ palliative care knowledge, difficulties, and self-reported practices between 2008 and 2015. Methods: This study was an analysis of two nationwide observational studies from 2008 to 2015. We conducted two questionnaire surveys for representative samples of nurses in designated cancer hospitals, community hospitals, and district nurse services. The measurements used the Palliative Care Knowledge Test (PCKT, range 1–100), the Palliative Care Difficulties Scale (PCDS, range 1–5), and the Palliative Care Self-Reported Practice Scale (PCPS, range 1–5). Comparisons were made using the nonpaired Student t-test and a multivariate linear regression model using two cohorts. Results: We analyzed survey results for 2707 nurses in 2008 and 3649 nurses in 2015. Significant improvements were seen in PCKT, PCDS, and PCPS total scores for nurses in every work location over the seven-year study period, with PCKT total scores of 53 vs. 65 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.60), 47 vs. 55 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.40), and 52 vs. 55 (P = 0.118; effect size = 0.13), PCDS total scores of 3.0 vs. 2.5 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.76), 3.4 vs. 2.8 (P < 0.001, effect size = 0.91), and 3.2 vs. 2.9 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.53), and PCPS total scores of 3.7 vs. 4.0 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.13), 3.5 vs. 3.8 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.42), and 3.8 vs. 4.0 (P < 0.011; effect size = 0.21) in designated cancer hospitals, community hospitals, and district nurse services, respectively. Conclusion: Nurses’ palliative care knowledge, difficulties, and self-reported practices improved over the seven-year study period, especially in terms of expert support in designated cancer hospitals and knowledge among nurses in designated cancer hospitals.
AB - Context: The Cancer Control Act was passed in Japan in 2007, and various additional programs on palliative care have been implemented to improve quality of life and relieve pain and suffering in patients with cancer. However, how clinical settings have changed remains unclear. Objectives: The primary aim of the present study was to determine changes in nurses’ palliative care knowledge, difficulties, and self-reported practices between 2008 and 2015. Methods: This study was an analysis of two nationwide observational studies from 2008 to 2015. We conducted two questionnaire surveys for representative samples of nurses in designated cancer hospitals, community hospitals, and district nurse services. The measurements used the Palliative Care Knowledge Test (PCKT, range 1–100), the Palliative Care Difficulties Scale (PCDS, range 1–5), and the Palliative Care Self-Reported Practice Scale (PCPS, range 1–5). Comparisons were made using the nonpaired Student t-test and a multivariate linear regression model using two cohorts. Results: We analyzed survey results for 2707 nurses in 2008 and 3649 nurses in 2015. Significant improvements were seen in PCKT, PCDS, and PCPS total scores for nurses in every work location over the seven-year study period, with PCKT total scores of 53 vs. 65 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.60), 47 vs. 55 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.40), and 52 vs. 55 (P = 0.118; effect size = 0.13), PCDS total scores of 3.0 vs. 2.5 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.76), 3.4 vs. 2.8 (P < 0.001, effect size = 0.91), and 3.2 vs. 2.9 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.53), and PCPS total scores of 3.7 vs. 4.0 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.13), 3.5 vs. 3.8 (P < 0.001; effect size = 0.42), and 3.8 vs. 4.0 (P < 0.011; effect size = 0.21) in designated cancer hospitals, community hospitals, and district nurse services, respectively. Conclusion: Nurses’ palliative care knowledge, difficulties, and self-reported practices improved over the seven-year study period, especially in terms of expert support in designated cancer hospitals and knowledge among nurses in designated cancer hospitals.
KW - Palliative care
KW - difficulties
KW - knowledge
KW - nurse
KW - practices
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.08.034
DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.08.034
M3 - Article
C2 - 28919540
AN - SCOPUS:85038816078
SN - 0885-3924
VL - 55
SP - 402
EP - 412
JO - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
JF - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
IS - 2
ER -
