Knowledge and Attitude of Nurses about Pediatric Palliative Care and its Implementation Barriers in Teaching Hospitals Affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, 2020

Abstract

Abstract: Background and Aim: Palliative care is one of the most important aspects of child and infant care. Nurses' perceptions and attitudes toward specific situations can predict the quality of care at all stages of the disease. pediatric palliative care is a new relatively and evolving speciallity, nurses face many barriers and challenges in providing pediatric palliative care with restrictive living conditions and their families. Material and Methods: In the present descriptive cross –sectional study, 220 nurses working in pediatric and neonatal wards affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran were in 2021. Data were collected using questionnaires: "Formelt Attitude Towards Death Patient Care (FATCOD)", Nurses' knowledge pf Palliative Care (PCQN) and Executive Barriers to Palliative Care in Children (NSCCNR –EQL). Results: Nurses' knowledge about palliative care was insufficient (10.70 ± 2.83). Nurses' attitude towards palliative care was positive (97.9± 9.84). The most common barrier to pediatric palliative care was related to family and child barriers. There was a significant relationship between nurses' knowledge and level of education (P= 0.002) and there was a significant relationship between nurses' knowledge and attitude of religious activities and the feeling of God in their life (P= 0.0001). Their was a significant relationship between nurses attitude and experience (P= 0.0006). Discussion and Conclusion: Lack of knowledge and attitude of nurses and lack of awareness of the childs' family about palliative care are among the main obstacles to providing palliative care. Pediatric pallative care should be included in nursing chapters; In service training and retraining courses for nurses should be held according to their cultural views and religious beliefs, and also by teaching communication skills to nurses ti establish proper communication with the patient's family can be an effective step to remove these barriers and provide better palliatev care.