Knowledge and Attitudes of Health Personnel on Palliative Care: Sample of Bitlis Province (Knowledge and Attitudes of Health Personnel on Palliative Care: Sample of Bitlis Province) (original) (raw)

2018, Journal of Current Researches on Health Sector

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of the health personnel working in Bitlis province about palliative care. The universe of the study consists of health personnel working in health institutions in Center and Tatvan district of Bitlis. The sample of 176 health personnel, who were selected randomly from the health personnel, who accepted voluntary participation in the study, was taken as a sample. As a data collection tool, a questionnaire consisting of 20 questions related to palliative care and 7 questions, which allows us to reach qualitative information about health personnel, was used. In evaluation of research data has been applicated frequency and Pearson chi-square tests the IBM SPSS 20® program, p<0,05 level has been accepted significantly as statistical. 25.0% of the health personnel participating in the survey stated that they had heard the palliative care, but did not know what it was. 73.8% of the health personnel stated that palliative care should be given to cancer patients. 67.6% of the health personnel participating in the study stated that pain treatment could be applied in palliative care centers. However, 47.2% of the health personnel stated that they did not agree with the statement that "palliative treatment should be initiated in the last stage of disease progression, where curative treatment is not beneficial". Although there was a significant difference (p<0,05) between the education level of health personnel and their answers related to many questions, which provide information about the palliative care in the questionnaire; it is observed that the level of knowledge on the subject does not increase linearly with the increase in the level of education. Very few of the nurses who work as managers and team coordinators in the palliative care team stated that they know palliative care. At the same time, determining of some of the doctors had no complete knowledge of palliative care are shown that the training they received was not sufficient and they also did not need to learn by researching about palliative care.