The Impact of the ELNEC Online Curriculum on Undergraduate Nursing Students' Self-Perceived Confidence in Providing Palliative Care.

Nursing programs are compelled to integrate end-of-life care into curricula; however, consistency and quality between programs vary. The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) created an online undergraduate curriculum to meet the need for consistent, high-quality palliative care education. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of ELNEC's curriculum on undergraduate nursing students' confidence. The ELNEC curriculum was integrated across undergraduate nursing courses at a Midwestern Jesuit university. Upon completion of all 6 ELNEC modules, the Primary Palliative Nursing Care Competency Assessment Tool was used to assess students' self-perceived confidence before and after the program. Comparative and descriptive statistical analysis revealed significant positive changes in student confidence (P = .003), roughly equivalent to changing from "Somewhat Confident" to "Confident." Students rated themselves similarly across most domains with significant gains post ELNEC curriculum (P < .0000). In conclusion, the undergraduate ELNEC curriculum positively impacts nursing students' self-perceived skill and confidence in their delivery of palliative and end-of-life care. Further reinforcement of ELNEC content through interactive and experiential learning supports student knowledge and a holistic approach to care of the entire person. Educators and clinicians might consider how ELNEC's programming can be leveraged to promote primary palliative nursing care competency.