Prelicensure Nursing Students' Attitudes and Perceptions of End-of-Life Care.

BACKGROUND: It is important that education on palliative care begin early in prelicensure nursing education because of the complex care needs of patients requiring end-of-life care.

PROBLEM: Nursing students often lack confidence and skills in providing quality care for these patients.

APPROACH: Nursing students' attitudes on end-of-life care were assessed using the Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying scale. Students were tested as sophomores, then again as seniors, in a nursing program where the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) curriculum had previously been integrated.

OUTCOMES: Seniors reported improved comfort levels providing end-of-life care.

CONCLUSION: Assessing for improved comfort levels among nursing students who receive ELNEC training could help support ongoing efforts to integrate this education in all nursing programs. Students who had formal education in end-of-life care were more comfortable caring for patients at end of life and had a better understanding of their role.