Doctors, nurses cite insufficient training, education in hospice palliative care: Survey

SINGAPORE — They may consider hospice palliative care important for patients with life-threatening illnesses, but the majority of doctors and nurses surveyed find that they do not have enough training and basic education in this area to support patients, a survey by the Lien Foundation has found.

Almost all the doctors and nurses surveyed — 95 per cent and 94 per cent respectively — considered palliative care important for those with life-threatening illness but only 37 per cent of doctors and 45 per cent of nurses reported being familiar with hospice palliative care, which involves caring for terminally ill patients and helping them live comfortably during the last stages of their lives.

Even among those with frequent contact with terminally ill patients, only 44 per cent of doctors and 59 per cent of nurses said they were familiar with hospice palliative care.

Conducted between February to April, the findings, released today (June 18), are from the second part of a survey on death attitudes by Lien Foundation. More than 200 doctors and 400 nurses were interviewed and probed for their views about death and dying, their levels of awareness and receptivity towards hospice palliative care.

Earlier in April, the first part of the death attitudes survey revealed that Singaporeans found hospice palliative care to be expensive ― a finding that healthcare experts said could deter people from seeking such care.

Lien Foundation noted that this suggests a gap in the knowledge needed to support patients in end-of-life matters.

Likewise, only 17 per cent doctors and 26 per cent of nurses agreed they have sufficient training in hospice palliative care. And when asked if the basic medical or nursing education prepared them to support patients with life-threatening illnesses, 62 per cent of doctors and 38 per cent of nurses said it was insufficient.

To help doctors and nurses, there are plans to expand the training in palliative care in the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in the National University of Singapore (NUS) and at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine in Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

For example, Associate Professor Yeoh Khay Guan, dean of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, said there are plans to include palliative care teachings into the fourth and fifth year of medical school.

Speaking at the release of the survey findings today, chief executive officer Lee Poh Wah of Lien Foundation noted that the survey had assessed a critical weakness in the healthcare system, especially in the area of professional training.

He added: “We’ve got to make palliative care part of our healthcare system’s DNA. Clinicians need greater competence, confidence and inspiration to provide the kind of end-of-life care we would wish for ourselves and our loved ones.”