Korean J Hosp Palliat Care.
2013 Jun;16(2):108-117. 10.14475/kjhpc.2013.16.2.108.
Nurses Attitudes toward Death, Coping with Death and Understanding and Performance Regarding EOL Care: Focus on Nurses at ED, ICU and Oncology Department
- Affiliations
-
- 1Hospice and Palliative Care Team, Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
- 2Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. soyosolo@yuhs.ac
- 3College of Nursing & The Nursing Policy Research Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
- KMID: 2305311
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.14475/kjhpc.2013.16.2.108
Abstract
- PURPOSE
The objectives of this study were to 1) explore nurses' attitudes toward death, coping with death, understanding and performance regarding end-of-life (EOL) care, 2) describe correlations among the above factors, and 3) determine the factors affecting nurses' EOL care performance.
METHODS
Study participants were 187 nurses stationed at departments that post higher mortality than others such as the oncology department, intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency department (ED). Data were collected from three urban university-affiliated hospitals. Multi-dimensional measure was performed for study instruments such as "attitude toward death", "coping with death" and "understanding and performance regarding EOL care". Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regressions.
RESULTS
First, nurses showed significantly different attitudes toward death by age, religion, work unit and EOL care education. Younger nurses tend to score low on the understanding of EOL care, and ED nurses' score was lower than their peers at the oncology department and ICU. Second, EOL care performance was positively correlated with attitude toward death (P<0.001), coping with death (P=0.003) and understanding of EOL care (P<0.001). Third, nurses' EOL care performance was affected by work unit (P<0.001) and understanding of EOL care (P<0.001).
CONCLUSION
Because nurses' performance was influenced by their work unit and understanding of EOL care, they should be provided with appropriate training to improve their understanding of death and EOL care according to work unit.
- Full Text Links
-
- Actions
-
Cited
- CITED
-
- Close
- Share
-
- Similar articles
-
- Influence of Perceptions of Death, End-of-Life Care Stress, and Emotional Intelligence on Attitudes towards End-of-Life Care among Nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
- A Study of Intensive Care Unit Nurses' Understanding of the Meaning of Death, Death Anxiety, Death Concern and Respect for Life
- Intensive Care Unit Nurses' Death Perception, End of Life Stress and End of Life Nursing Attitudes
- Perception of Good Death and Attitudes toward Death between ER Nurses and Coroners
- Effects of Awareness of Good Death and End-of-Life Care Attitudes on End-of-Life Care Performance in Long-Term Care Hospital Nurses
