Neoplasms (Cancer / Tumors), Palliative Care, Terminal Care
Conditions
Keywords
Palliative care, End-of-life care, Oncology nurses, Nurse education, Training program, Attitudes toward death and dying, Knowledge, Communication skills, Quasi-experimental, Oman
Brief summary
This study evaluated a nurse-led, culturally adapted training program in palliative and end-of-life care (N-PELTP) for oncology nurses in Oman. Nurses in the intervention group received the structured training program, while a comparison group continued usual practice during the same period. Outcomes were assessed using questionnaires completed before and after the intervention to measure palliative care knowledge, attitudes toward caring for dying patients, self-reported palliative care practices, and communication-related outcomes. The goal of the study was to determine whether a culturally adapted educational program can improve oncology nurses' readiness to deliver palliative and end-of-life care.
Detailed description
Palliative and end-of-life care requires skilled nursing communication, symptom management knowledge, and culturally sensitive approaches to care. In many settings, oncology nurses report variable preparation and limited training opportunities in palliative and end-of-life care. This quasi-experimental controlled pretest-posttest study assessed the effectiveness of a nurse-led, culturally adapted palliative and end-of-life training program (N-PELTP) implemented in oncology settings in Oman. Eligible participants were registered oncology nurses providing direct patient care. The intervention group participated in a structured training program delivered over a defined period, while a comparable control group did not receive the training during the study period. Outcomes were assessed using validated tools at baseline (pre-intervention) and after completion of the intervention (post-intervention). The primary objective was to evaluate change in palliative care knowledge. Secondary objectives included changes in attitudes toward caring for dying patients, self-reported palliative care practices, and communication outcomes.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALN-PELTP Palliative and End-of-Life Training Program
A nurse-led, culturally adapted palliative and end-of-life care education and training program for oncology nurses (N-PELTP). The program was delivered in a structured format over a defined training period and covered core palliative and end-of-life care competencies, including communication and care planning. Outcomes were assessed using standardized questionnaires at baseline (pre-intervention) and after completion of the training (post-intervention
Sponsors
Sultan Qaboos University
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Registered nurses working in participating oncology/cancer care settings in Oman * Providing direct clinical care to patients with cancer * Employed at the study site during the study period and expected to remain for the duration of the intervention and follow-up assessments * Aged 18 years or older * Able to read and understand the study materials and questionnaires * Willing to participate and provide informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Nursing students, interns, or non-registered nursing staff * Nurses not providing direct patient care (e.g., administrative/managerial roles without bedside clinical duties) * Nurses on extended leave during the intervention or follow-up period (e.g., annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave) * Nurses who did not complete the baseline (pre-intervention) assessment
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Score (Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale, Form B; FATCOD-B) | Baseline (pre-intervention) and 2 weeks post-intervention | Total score on the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale, Form B (FATCOD-B), a 30-item instrument rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Total score range: 30 to 150. Higher scores indicate more positive attitudes toward caring for dying patients. |
| Palliative and End-of-Life Care Knowledge Score (Palliative and End-of-Life Care Knowledge Questionnaire; PEACE-Q) | Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention | Total score on the Palliative and End-of-Life Care Knowledge Questionnaire (PEACE-Q), a 34-item true/false questionnaire. Total score range: 0 to 34. Higher scores indicate greater palliative/end-of-life care knowledge. |
| Palliative Care Self-Reported Practice Score (Palliative Care Self-Reported Practices Scale; PCPS) | Baseline (pre-intervention) and 2 weeks post-intervention | Total score on the Palliative Care Self-Reported Practices Scale (PCPS), an 18-item scale rated from 1 (not at all) to 5 (always). Total score range: 18 to 90. Higher scores indicate more frequent palliative care practices. |
| Communication Practice Score (Communication Domain of PCPS) | Baseline (pre-intervention) and 2 weeks post-intervention | Communication practice score derived from the communication domain of the Palliative Care Self-Reported Practices Scale (PCPS). Items are rated from 1 (not at all) to 5 (always). Domain score range: 1 to 5 when calculated as a mean item score. Higher scores indicate more frequent/better communication practices in palliative/end-of-life care contexts. |
Countries
Oman
Outcome results
None listed