The Benefit of Incorporating Palliative Care Education into the Pre- Registration Nursing Curriculum: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Background: Palliative care (PC) has evolved and is now integrated into the
care of numerous medical conditions and diseases. Today, PC is an
indispensable part of the healthcare system in many countries. It is essential to
study the benefits of incorporating PC in pre-registration nursing students’
programmes and determine how it influences pre-registration nurses’ PC skills
and knowledge.
Objective: To explore the benefits of incorporating palliative care into the pre-
registration nursing education curriculum and determine:
•
How incorporating PC into pre-registration nursing education improves
the skillset of student nurses.
•
How incorporating PC into pre-registration nursing education improves
student nurses’ knowledge.
Method: A systematic review established the impact of incorporating PC into
pre-registration nursing education. Three major databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE,
and EMBASE) were consulted through the librarian at Queen’s University,
Belfast to help develop search terms on PC education for pre-registration
nursing students. Title and abstract screening were conducted based on pre-
determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was
assessed using the 2018 Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).
Results: Five studies were included in the systematic review, which explored
the benefits of incorporating palliative care into pre-registration nursing
education. PC education improved students’ knowledge of various symptoms
and pain management. The results also suggested significant benefits in
improved skill performance for students, including high competencies, self-
confidence, and self-awareness.
Conclusion: Incorporating PC education in the pre-registration nursing
curriculum presents significant benefits in PC knowledge and skills development
among pre-registration nurses. However, more research is needed to determine
the optimal content, and mode of delivery (didactic, simulation, multi-level etc.)
for PC education in the pre-registration nursing curriculum. This is crucial in
order to guide the development of effective PC education to improve the
knowledge and skills of pre-registration nurses so that they are competent and
confident to provide high quality PC to their patients and their families when in
practice.
Description
Keywords
Palliative Care, Pre-Registration Nursing Education, Pre-Registration Nurse, Nursing curriculum, End of life care