[The Correlates of Nurses' Self-Efficacy for End-of-Life Care].

Self-efficacy plays an important role in maintaining health-related behaviors in humans. Nursing staffs should understand the factors that influence self-efficacy in end-of-life (EOL) care in order to ensure their ability to provide appropriate palliative care to EOL-stage patients.To explore the important variables affecting the self-efficacy of nursing staffs in providing EOL care and the correlations between self-efficacy and these variables.This study adopted a descriptive, correlational design. The participants were convenience sampled from registered nurses employed at a teaching hospital in southern Taiwan. The data collection was cross-sectional and 214 registered nurses completed a structured questionnaire on knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy with regard to providing EOL care.The results indicated that that participants had (1) an average knowledge level of EOL care (13.99 ± 1.63), demonstrating that nursing staff need to improve their knowledge of EOL care, (2) an average level of attitude (46.74 ± 4.39), demonstrating a slightly positive attitude toward EOL care, and (3) an average level of self-efficacy (48.46 ± 10.37), demonstrating inadequate confidence in providing EOL care. A Pearson product-moment correlation analysis was conducted, showing significant and positive correlations between self-efficacy and the variables of EOL-care knowledge and attitude. Multiple regression analyses revealed that work unit, experience providing EOL care, knowledge regarding EOL care, and attitude toward providing EOL care together explained 42.54% of the variance in EOL care self-efficacy.Accurate knowledge about and positive attitude toward providing EOL care are important in fostering confidence in nurses to help patients and their family make appropriate medical decisions and to provide appropriate EOL care. Hospital administrations should provide onsite or offsite continuous education and, when appropriate, arrange interdisciplinary and cross-training programs to enhance the EOL-care-related experience and self-efficacy of nurses.