Dignity Care Intervention Ireland (DCI Ireland): Pre and Post EducationEvaluation for Nurses Working in the Community Setting

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Abstract

Background: Maintaining the dignity of the individual being cared for is key to the provisionof palliative care. Nurses working in the community setting require knowledge and skills tomeet the needs of service users and their families in need of a palliative care. DCI Ireland is acommunity based pilot project implementing a dignity care intervention for individuals, withlife-limiting illness.Aim: To evaluate the impact of a targeted education programme regarding Palliative Careand the DCI Ireland for nurses working in the community setting in Ireland.Methods: An educational programme was developed for nurses working in the community infour pilot sites (n=54). The education programme consisted on two elements:1. An on-line programme incorporating an Introduction to the Principles of Palliative Careand their application in clinical practice and the DCI Ireland.2. Two facilitated workshops for further elaboration of the DCI Ireland.Case studies were used to support role play by participants in order to demonstrate howand when to use the intervention. Each participant was invited to complete a Pre and PostEducation Questionnaire.Results: Findings indicated that in general, community nurses were aware of the principlesof palliative care but had some difficulty articulating their use in practice. Overall nurses whocompleted the education programme felt their knowledge and understanding of theprinciples of palliative care and their application in practice as well as the importance ofdignity preserving care was improved.Conclusion: The importance of education about palliative care and the provision of dignitypreserving care cannot be underestimated. Ensuring nurses have the requisite knowledgewill contribute to the future development of practice and subsequent improved care forpatients approaching the end of life.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)118-118
JournalEuropean Journal of Palliative Care
Volume1
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - May 2015

Keywords

  • palliative care
  • education
  • dignity
  • community

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