A Scoping Review of End-Of-Life Care Education Programs for Critical Care Nurses

Abstract

This article reports on a scoping review that was designed to identify research trends and contents related to End-Of-Life care guidelines in education programs for nurses working in intensive care units. Following the methodology of Arksey and O’Malley, we conducted a scoping review of articles published (in either English or Korean) within the last 10 years that focus on educational interventions for critical care nurses concerning End-Of-Life care. The following domains were abstracted from the collected data: study design, program details, program evaluation, and results. A total 15 studies were extracted and reviewed. The predominant educational approach in these studies was competency enhancement education. The teaching methods employed included lectures, demonstrations, simulations, role-play, workshops, discussions, mentoring, and online training. Most of the educational program evaluations measured changes in knowledge, attitude, or confidence levels related to various aspects of End-Of-Life care, including communication with patients, legal considerations, ethical decision-making, and symptoms management. This study suggests that educational interventions can improve the End-Of-Life care provided by critical care nurses, and future research should target programs aimed at enhancing the relevant skills and competencies of these nurses.