Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Critical Care Nurses regarding Palliative care at Tertiary Care Hospitals, Peshawar

Abstract

Background: By caring to the physical, psychological, and spiritual needs of patients with life-threatening illnesses, palliative care plays a critical role of improving their quality of life. As front-line healthcare providers, nurses play a crucial role as they offer effective and compassionate palliative care. However, the delivery of the best end-of-life care may be complicated by nurses' lack of knowledge, attitudes, and practical skills. The purpose of this study is to assess nurses working in tertiary hospital settings' present levels of palliative care knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Finding these gaps can assist shape focused training initiatives and legislative changes to improve the caliber of palliative care services, which will eventually improve patient outcomes and provide dignified end-of-life experiences. Objectives: To asses’ nurses' knowledge of palliative care in critical care department in tertiary care settings. To evaluate nurses' attitude of palliative care in critical area in tertiary care settings. To investigate nurses' practice in critical area in tertiary care settings. Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional was used at this study. The data gathered from nurses working in important clinical departments like the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Coronary Care Unit (CCU), and High Dependency Units (HDU) at Lady Reading Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex. Results: The study involved 109 healthcare participants working in various critical care units, predominantly female (86.2%) and aged primarily between 26-35 years. The majority held a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (67.0%) and had between 1-5 years of professional experience (76.1%). Participants were distributed across critical care specializations, including general ICU (45.9%), HDU (8.3%), neurosurgery ICU (14.7%), pediatric ICU (13.8%), and NICU (17.4%). Regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice towards palliative care: •Knowledge: The majority demonstrated high knowledge about palliative care (67.9%), with a mean knowledge score of 2.6789 (SD = 0.46906). Moderate knowledge was held by 32.1%. •Attitude: Most participants exhibited a neutral attitude (62.4%) but had a positive attitude (35.8%), with a mean attitude score of 2.3519 (SD = 0.49887). •Practice: A significant portion showed good practice toward palliative care (67.9%), with an average practice score of 2.6697 (SD = 0.49169). Conclusion: The study demonstrates that critical care nurses generally possess good knowledge and engage in appropriate practice behaviors related to palliative care. Nevertheless, attitudes tend to be neutral, signifying potential areas for attitude enhancement through targeted education and emotional support. Strengthening positive perceptions of palliative care could foster more proactive implementation in clinical practice. Continued training and awareness programs are essential to bridge the gap between knowledge and attitude, ultimately improving palliative care delivery in critical care settings.