Palliative and End-of-Life Care Self-perceived Educational Needs of Physicians and Nurses in Rwanda

Palliative care access is an urgent and ethical imperative to effectively manage the increasing burden of serious health-related suffering worldwide. Understanding the palliative care educational needs of health care professionals is critical to support evidence-based clinical practice in Rwanda and other low- and middle-income countries. A cross-sectional study was conducted at 5 hospitals in Kigali, Rwanda, to assess the palliative/end-of-life educational needs of nurses and physicians. The End-of-Life Professional Caregiver Survey and a demographic form were used to collect data. Descriptive analyses and independent t tests were conducted. A total of 420 health care professionals participated in the study (response rate, 72%). Participants perceived their knowledge and skills in providing palliative/end-of-life care as low. Those who received palliative/end-of-life care training in the past 5 years, third- and fourth-year residents, and health care providers with 5 years of experience or more had significantly higher (P ≤.05) mean scores on the End-of-Life Professional Caregiver Survey. Nurses scored higher than physicians in the patient- and family-centered communication (P =.049) and cultural and ethical values (P =.037) subscales. Pain management was identified as an educational need by 77% of participants. Our survey suggests the need for increased governmental investments in palliative/end-of-life care education among nurses and physicians in Rwanda.