Omar Ghazi Baker, Fahda Hamdi Alrasheedi, Asma Makid Almutairi, Raghad Saleh Alluhebi, Norah Ali Hamid Al Dhafer
Saudi nurses offering home-based elderly palliative care expressed moderate self-report practices with significantly low knowledge of palliative care domains. Higher basic palliative care knowledge (PCKQ-B), higher educational level, older age, and more clinical experience presented an independent association with better self-report practices. The findings of this study highlight critical knowledge deficits and suggest that higher education and accumulated experience could facilitate better self-report palliative care practices.
BACKGROUND: The increasing global elderly population raises concerns about palliative care. Healthcare quality objectives of Saudi Arabian Vision 2030 emphasize this matter as well. This study elaborates on nurses' self-reported knowledge and practices in home-based elderly palliative care.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The current cross-sectional survey involved 148 nurses registered for home-based elderly palliative care in Saudi Arabia. Two validated instruments measured the knowledge, which included the Palliative Care Knowledge Test (PCKT, 20 items) and the PCKQ-Basic (PCKQ-B, 24 items). The assessment of practices was based on an 18-item Palliative Care Self-Reported Practices Scale (PCPS; score range 1-5). SPSS (v-29) was employed for the data analysis, which included descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, multiple linear regression analyses, and one-way ANOVA at a significance level of p < 0.05.
RESULTS: Participants (n = 148) were predominantly female (72.3%), Saudi nationals (79.1%), aged 30-39 years (60.1%), and held a bachelor's degree (63.5%) with an 11.4 ± 5.9 years of nursing experience. Mean knowledge scores remained low as PCKT 35.0% correct (SD=15.8), and PCKQ-B 44.3% correct (SD=17.6). Contrarily, a high mean self-reported practice score was noted (PCPS 4.1 ± 0.7 out of 5). The total score of multiple linear regression for PCPS' predictors demonstrated PCKQ-B score, older age, higher education level, and more years of experience as significantly positive predictors. The overall model remained significant (p < .001) and explained 22.1% of the variance (adjusted R 2 = 0.221).
CONCLUSION: Saudi nurses offering home-based elderly palliative care expressed moderate self-report practices with significantly low knowledge of palliative care domains. Higher basic palliative care knowledge (PCKQ-B), higher educational level, older age, and more clinical experience presented an independent association with better self-report practices. The findings of this study highlight critical knowledge deficits and suggest that higher education and accumulated experience could facilitate better self-report palliative care practices.