Practical effects of educating nurses on the Natural Death Act

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate a nursing staff's knowledge of the Natural Death Act before and after an educational intervention.

Patients and methods: This was a quasi-experimental designed study. Questionnaires were sent to 135 nurses in a medical center who volunteered to participate in the educational program. Demographic data and knowledge of the Natural Death Act were collected. The return rate was 85.37% (n=105). The educational program lasted for 6 h and included five subjects: hospice-palliative care, Natural Death Act, how to face suffering patients, nursing for agonized patients, and communicating with families. The program was a combination of lectures, case discussions, evaluation of individuals' values, and attitudes toward patient death.

Main results: At baseline, the average total score in the 18-item questionnaire on the Natural Death Act was 12.96, with a range of 5-18. After the educational intervention, the average total score increased from 12.9 correct answers to 17.04 (of 18). The average increase was 4.08 points, a statistically significant difference.

Conclusions: A provision of appropriate training for medical professionals appears to be a useful educational strategy, and this result shows that the Natural Death Act should be included in nursing school educational program. In the future, more effort should be made to fulfill patients' expectations and to follow medical ethics guidelines.