The Effect of a Neonatal Palliative Care Education Program in Increasing Knowledge and Communication Self-efficacy Among NICU Nurses

Author

Shiou-Huei Joy Wang, California State University, Northern California Consortium Doctor of Nursing Practice

Publication Date

Spring 2024

Degree Type

Doctoral Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Robin L. Whitney

Second Advisor

Denise Dawkins

Third Advisor

Susan Rhodes

Keywords

NICU nurses, neonate, palliative care, NICU, communication self-efficacy

Abstract

Background: Neonatal palliative care is crucial to providing comprehensive, high-quality care to neonates with life-limiting or life-threatening health conditions and their families. One significant barrier to the inconsistent provision of neonatal palliative care is the lack of education. This project aimed to deliver an education training program to increase neonatal palliative care knowledge and self-efficacy in NICU nurses. Method: A pre-post-test study design was used to examine the efficacy of an educational training program on NICU nurses’ knowledge and communication self-efficacy in neonatal palliative care. A post-test was administered immediately after the training and again four weeks later to evaluate the retention. Twenty-five NICU nurses participated in this training program. Results: Participants had statistically significant immediate score gains in self-efficacy and overall scores (p< 0.001 for both) but not the knowledge subdomain (p< 0.07). Similar trends were observed in the lasting gain scores. Participants had statistically significant lasting gain scores in self-efficacy and overall scores (p< 0.001 for both), but knowledge gain scores were not statistically significant (p< 0.26). Pre-survey knowledge/self-efficacy scores correlate statistically significantly negatively with immediate and lasting gain scores. Prior palliative care education status and prior infant death experience did affect the knowledge or self-efficacy scores. Conclusions: This neonatal palliative care education training program effectively increases participants’ self-efficacy scores and overall survey scores, although the knowledge subdomain did not have a statistically significant increase. This training program is simple, cost-effective, and can be incorporated into various NICU continuing education settings.

Recommended Citation

Wang, Shiou-Huei Joy, "The Effect of a Neonatal Palliative Care Education Program in Increasing Knowledge and Communication Self-efficacy Among NICU Nurses" (2024). Doctoral Projects. 178.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.5uxf-gwyv
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_doctoral/178