Abstract
Death is a common occurrence in the hospital setting. Research findings indicate that nurses lack knowledge and are uncomfortable with the care of seriously ill or dying patients. Most nurses report learning about end-of-life care through professional and personal experiences rather than their undergraduate programs. Education may improve nursing knowledge and ultimately behavior, but there are many competing mandatory education requirements. Any widespread education program must be brief, easy to administer, and available to nursing staff working different shifts. A 30-minute online introduction to palliative care (narrated PowerPoint presentation) was created and delivered to registered nurses (n = 23) working on a general medical unit. The Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing was administered prior to viewing the educational presentation, immediately after, and 3 weeks later. Average scores of 57.6% before education increased to 72.2% after the online session and were sustained at 70% 3 weeks later. Nurses believed the education was informative, and most indicated they would change their practice. Although many nurses would prefer a live presentation, there was acceptance of the online format. The results highlight deficiencies in palliative care nursing knowledge and provide direction for future nursing palliative care educational endeavors.