Table 3 Item characteristics PANA_knowledge questionnaire

1.

A palliative approach aims to improve quality of life when people have an illness or a condition that affects how long they will live.*

2.

A palliative approach supports comfort but does not provide a cure.*

3.

A palliative approach may be required for some people for months or years while for others it may be required for hours or days.*

4.

The needs of people requiring a palliative approach are the same.

5.

A palliative approach is offered when treatment will not help the person to live longer.*

6.

People who have advanced cancer, severe lung or heart or kidney disease or advanced dementia benefit from a palliative approach. *

10.

Families can often experience grief before the death of their family member. *

11.

It is better to provide information about a palliative approach to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in English.

12.

The reason why a person receives nutrition through a Percutaneous Gastrostomy (PEG) tube (a feeding tube into the stomach) is because he/she can no longer swallow safely. *

13.

Identifying symptoms (physical signs) is the first step in being able to manage symptoms. *

14.

Pain relief before providing physical care, such as dressing a wound, can help a person experiencing pain feel more comfortable. *

15.

When a person is receiving pain relief, they no longer feel pain.

18.

Families or carers who know the person best are usually the first to detect changes in a person’s condition. *

19.

A person expressing a wish to die means that the person will die soon.

24.

Bladder and bowel problems can cause discomfort when a person approaches the end of life.*

27.

When a person has experienced a deterioration over time, it is a sign that they are approaching the end stage of their illness.*

28.

Signs that death is near can be present hours to days before death occurs.*