The Effects of Hospice Volunteer Education Program on Perceptions about Hospice and the Meaning of Life

호스피스 자원봉사자 교육프로그램 참여군과 비 참여군의 호스피스에 대한 인식과 삶의 의미 비교

  • Kim, Myung-Sook (Hospice Ward, St. John of God Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Chung-Sook (College of Nursing, Chonnam National University Chonnam National University Research Institute of Nursing Science) ;
  • Kim, Hyung-Chul (Youg Uk Elderly Nursing Home, St. John of God Hospital)
  • 김명숙 (천주의 성 요한병원 호스피스병동) ;
  • 이정숙 (전남대학교 간호대학) ;
  • 김형철 (담양 용욱 노인센터)
  • Published : 2007.08.31

Abstract

Purpose: This study was to compare the perceptions about hospice and the meaning of life between the participants and non-participants of the hospice volunteer education program. Method: Descriptive survey research design was used. Participants were 63, and the data collecting period was from October to December, 2006. Instrument developed by Jung-Hee Kim(1990) and Eun-Ja Lee(1998) was modified to measure the perceptions about hospice. To measure the meaning of life, P.I.L (Purpose In Life) instrument by Crumbaugh and Maholick(1969) was utilized. The data were analyzed using $X^2-test$, t-test and Pearson-Correlation Coefficient. Results: 1. The participants in the hospice volunteer education program demonstrated higher perception scores about hospice than the non-participants (t=5.193, p= .001). 2. The program participants also showed higher scores of the meaning of life than non-participants (t=3.084, p=.005). 3. The perception about hospice and the meaning of life had positive correlation (r= .46, p= .01). Conclusion: Therefore, hospice education program must be established in a continual and systematic way in order to standardize the hospice system in Korea.

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