J Nurs Acad Soc.  1974 May;4(1):162-178.

A Study On The Attitudes Toward Death -For Nursing Care of The Terminally III

• Ryoo KJ

Abstract

The present study is purported to provide a basic information to be utilized by nurses to care and attend effectively for patients nearing the moment of death. Therefore, the primary purpose of the study has been placed upon grasping an understanding of the trends of death in general. For this purpose: 1. By utilizing the schneidman questionaire. the trend of death has been categorized by 6 parts and analyzed, 2. A search has been conducted to find out dying patient's needs, nurse's attitudes viewed by the patient, and nurse attitudes to dying patient. The followings are itemized results of analysis: 1. Analysis by the schneidman questionaire. (1) In general concepts of death, the first sighting of the occurrence of death was experienced upon strangers, grandfather and great grandfather. The death is openly discussed among people of all ages and sex. Ages in which the death is mostly feared were from 12 to well over 70 years old that are evenly distributed regardless of difference in age. (2) As to the attitudes toward death, the occurrence of death to most closely associated person influenced most upon the attitudo of their own termination of lives. Among the reading materials, the maximum influence was effected by the Bible. In terms of religion, the thoughts of death were influenced by religions eduation in case of the believers of the western religions (36%), and by their own health and physical conditions in case of the believers in the oriental religions (35%). In case of non-believer, their attitude toward death were largely determined through their own thinking meditation (45%). People aged 20 or thereunder revealed that they wished to know the dav of their own death to be occurred (58%). However, the Older the less they wanted to know. (3) As to the choosing the time of death, 57% preferred senility, and 30% preferred the time im mediately following the prime period of their lives in general. In terms of religion, 85% of the believer in the oriental religion preferred senility, and 67% in the western religion, 58% in others. Therefore, the desiring of their lives to be terminated in earlier stage, not by the natural senility, sequenced as follows:0thers, western religions and oriental religions. (4) Referrring to the disposal of the corpse under the assumption that it had already occurred, majority desired the burial SVStem. There has been seen a slight tendency to consider the importance Of holding funeral services for the sake of survivors. Concerning the life insurance policy, it showed that the nurse had less belief in it than the patient. (5) Upon the subject of life-after-death, religion wise, 72% of western religion believers preferred to have an existance of life-after-death:Among the believers of oriental reigions, 35% desired this category, 30% did not mind either way, and 35% did not desire the existance of such a life-after-death. In others, 53% did not mind whether or not such a life existed. (6) In general, serious thoughts were not being attended to the commitment of suicide. 37% emphasized that such an act should be prevented. However, 30% insisted that such commitment should! not be bothered, and that society possesses no right to prevented it. More male wished to commit suicide (13%) than females (9%). 2. Nurse's attitudes toward terminal patients and patient's needs. In the instance where the patient realized that their death is imminent, most of them showed desire to diccuss mainly on the problems of life. When faced a situation of this nature, it is revealed that 49% of nurses could not furnish appropriate care for them.

MeSH Terms

Aged
Bible
Burial
Cadaver
Female
Hand Strength
Humans
Insurance, Life
Male
Meditation
Nursing Care*
Nursing*
Suicide
Survivors
Thinking