Comfort and Dignity at End-of-Life

Grant Application

Barbara Usher, RN, PhD, Jeannine DiNella, RN, DNP, Zhan Liang, RN, MSN, PhDc, Shauna Campbell, RN, MSN, Nancy Kernick, RN, Mary Hatam, RN, MSN, Diane Krueger, RN, MSN, Mary Steele, RN, MSN, Crystal DeMillion, RN, BSN, Teresa Morris, RN, MSN, Donna Schmidt, RN, BSN, Katherine Spiering, RN, MSN, Melanie Smith, RN, MSN, Katherine Spiering, RN, MSN, Christine Ros, RN, BSN, Sarah Russell, RN, MSN, Terri Kress, RN, MSN, Dianxu Ren, MD, PhD, Patricia Tuite, RN, PhD, Eliza McGoldrick, BSN Student, Melissa Harlan, RN, BSN, Julie Childers, MD, Jane Schell, MD of UPMC Presbyterian Hospital

 

Proposed Innovation

Nursing Clinical Directors have observed that new nurses are less experienced and show increased discomfort with end of life care. This may stem from the national trend indicating that undergraduate and graduate nursing programs are decreasing experience with end-of-life care. This project aims to educate and improve nurse quality in this area.

 

Improvements in Action

The goals of Comfort and Dignity at End-of-Life are to improve end-of-life patient/family centered care at the bedside, to enhance clinical leadership skills, to develop new “frontline” nursing clinical leaders using a Peer Nursing Coach model, and to support the deployment of palliative care at the clinical level using educational and clinical practice supports.

 

Results – In Progress

73 Peer Nursing Coaches from 34 nursing units participated. Peer Nursing Coaches and New Hire Nurses had significant, positive changes in their EOL indicators. Unit-based educational materials were provided to 44 inpatient and support units and, overall coaching activities indicated enthusiasm for EOL improvement.