ASSESSING CRITICAL CARE NURSES KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS END-OF-LIFE CARE

Abstract

Background: End-of-life care is a fundamental aspect of critical care nursing, requiring a comprehensive understanding of symptom management, patient-centered decision-making, and emotional support for both patients and their families. Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses play a pivotal role in ensuring dignity and comfort for terminally ill patients who no longer respond to curative treatments. Adequate knowledge and a positive attitude toward end-of-life care are essential for delivering compassionate and effective care. Understanding nurses' perspectives in this context is crucial to identifying gaps and areas for improvement.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of critical care nurses toward end-of-life care in intensive care settings.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 36 ICU nurses assigned to the Surgical ICU (SICU), Medical ICU (MICU), Neonatal ICU (NICU), and Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital. A structured, pre-validated questionnaire was used to assess knowledge and attitudes. Knowledge was measured using a 10-item questionnaire with binary scoring (correct/incorrect), while attitude was assessed using a 15-item Likert scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0, with descriptive statistics summarizing key findings.

Results: Among the participants, 66.7% demonstrated good knowledge (>75% score), 30.6% had average knowledge (60%-75% score), and 2.8% had poor knowledge (<60% score). Regarding attitudes, 80.6% exhibited a positive attitude (≥50% score), while 19.4% had a negative attitude (<50% score). Despite a generally favorable outlook, gaps in specific areas of knowledge and confidence in communication with terminal patients were observed.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that most critical care nurses possess adequate knowledge and maintain a positive attitude toward end-of-life care. However, the presence of knowledge gaps among a minority of participants underscores the need for targeted educational initiatives and continuous professional development to enhance competency and ensure high-quality palliative care in ICU settings.