Abstract:
Introduction: Palliative care (P.C) is an approach that improves the
quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated
with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering
by means of early identification, perfect assessment, treatment of pain
and other physical, psychosocial and spiritual problems. In previous years
palliative care was known as the care of the patient who is close to death
but now, the capacity of palliative care has expanded to include patients
who may live for many years with chronic disease.
The aim of the Study: The study aimed to assess knowledge and
attitude of the nurses working at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali
about palliative care.
Methods: Descriptive, cross sectional quantitative study design and the
convenience sampling procedure were used for conducting the study. A
sample of 139 nurses working in the pediatric and surgical ward was
chosen for this study. Data were collected by using questionnaire with
demographic data and palliative care Quiz for Nurses (PCQN) which was
developed by the researchers. Pilot study was conducted among 16
nurses.
Results: Study results have shown that only 9.3% of the respondents had
good knowledge towards PC, 8.63% had in service-education on
palliative care and no one had a good attitude towards PC.
Conclusion: The nurses had fair knowledge, but their attitude towards
PC was poor. Recommendations are that integration of the national health
policy related to PC in the national curriculum of nurse education and
provide training related to PC for the nurses.
