End-of-Life Training in US Nurse Practitioner Programs

Background: Nurse practitioners (NPs) work in a variety of health care settings and care for people with life-threatening illnesses or at the end-of-life (EOL). Therefore, NP programs should be active in preparing future NPs to handle caring for patients at the EOL stage. Purpose: To determine the status of EOL education in NP programs in the US. Methods: The study was a cross-sectional, observational study of all NP programs in the US accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education as of December 2023. Results: Sixty-three percent (n = 59) of the programs either did not have a formal EOL curriculum in place or had just recently decided to implement one. Directors perceived multiple barriers to incorporating more EOL teaching into their programs. Conclusions: Limitations in integration of EOL training in NP education reveal opportunities to enhance curricula and improve alignment with essential competencies.