Nursing Home Staff’s Attitudes Towards Palliative Care, End‐of‐Life Conversations and Ethical Discussions: A Two Cross‐Sectional Study in Relation to a One‐Year Educational Intervention

The ageing population is growing worldwide. Approximately 40 per cent of all deaths in Sweden occur in nursing homes (NHs), where staff often have limited training in palliative care (PC). Earlier studies have shown that factors such as previous education and prior experience of caring for a person at the end of life influence attitudes towards the care of the person and the family. However, less is known about the attitudes of staff in NHs regarding the care of people with PC needs and their family, as well as opportunities for ethical discussions. The aim of this study was to describe NH staff’s attitudes towards caring for older people with PC needs, including conversations about life, the future and death, and opportunities for ethical discussions, at two time points in relation to a 1‐year educational intervention in PC. The Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying Short Form (FATCOD‐SF), together with study‐specific questions, was used for data collection at two time points: at the beginning of the intervention in 2023 and eight weeks after its completion in 2024. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. No statistically significant differences in attitudes towards the care of people at the end of life and their families, or conversations about life, the future and death were observed between the two time points. Differences were observed regarding opportunities for ethical discussions. One possible interpretation is that the results may reflect a greater awareness among staff at the second time point that PC involves more than end‐of‐life care.