Caring for Patients with Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma in Japan: Evaluation of a Palliative Care Educational Program

Purpose: This study evaluated the effect of an Educational Program on Palliative Care for MPM for Nurses inJapan. Program: The 5-h program consisted of lectures and care planning group work. Materials and
Methods:This study used a pretest–posttest design with a single cohort of nurses and included a Difficulties in PalliativeCare for Patients with MPM (DPCMPM) Scale with 15 items. The pre- and posttest scores were compared usinga t-test.
Results: We included 27 female nurses with a mean of 14.4 years of nursing experience. In 12 of 15DPCMPM items, the posttest difficulty scores were lower than the pretest scores. Participants highly evaluatedthe program for validity, clarity, clinical usefulness, and the facilitators. The Palliative Care for MPM Handbookfor Nurses was developed as an educational tool for clinical settings.
Conclusions: The Educational Program onPalliative Care for MPM for Nurses was effective in reducing nursing difficulties.