Student preparation to care for dying patients: Assessing outcomes across a curriculum

Background: Most nurses are called on to care for dying patients in their professional practice. Yet, ineffective educational preparation to provide this care is consistently reported. An assessment of the preparation of nursing students and associated outcomes is needed to identify the effectiveness of various components of nursing education programs. Method: A study design involving cross-sectional surveys of five cohorts of nursing students in a baccalaureate nursing program was implemented. End-of-life education outcomes assessed included perceived competence, attitudes, and knowledge. Results: Mixed analysis of variance analyses supported significant cohort differences for attitudes and knowledge outcomes; perceived competence outcomes lacked significance. Conclusion: The pattern of between cohort differences identified suggests that students experience positive changes in knowledge and attitudes associated with academic progression. However, deficiencies persist that need to be addressed with targeted educational interventions.