J Korean Clin Nurs Res.  2019 Dec;25(3):323-332. 10.22650/JKCNR.2019.25.3.323.

Influence of Death Perception, Attitude Toward Terminal Care, Mental Health on the Terminal Care Stress of Intensive Care Unit Nurses

• Hwang JO
• Kim SH

• KMID: 2470647
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22650/JKCNR.2019.25.3.323

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the terminal care stress of nurses in intensive care units in terms of their death perception, attitude toward terminal care, and mental health.
METHODS
This descriptive study collected data from 118 nurses in intensive care units in one tertiary referral hospital and three general hospitals. The instruments used in the study were the Terminal Care Stress Assessment Tool, the View of Life and Death Scale, the Frommelt Attitudes toward Nursing Care of the Dying Scale (FATCOD), and the Mental Health Assessment Tool. The data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression.
RESULTS
There was a significant positive correlation between terminal care stress and death perception (r=.31, p<.001). The factors significantly influencing the terminal care stress of the participants included gender (β=.33, p<.001), religion (β=.24, p=.004), and death perception (β=.35, p<.001), and the overall explanatory power was 23.1% (F=12.73, p<.001).
CONCLUSION
To decrease terminal care stress among nurses, establishing the death perception of nurses based on value clarification about death may be necessary. Furthermore, this study suggests an intervention study examining the effect of an education program on terminal care stress among ICU nurses.

Keyword

Intensive Care Units; Terminal Care; Death; Attitude; Mental Health

MeSH Terms

Critical Care*
Education
Hospitals, General
Intensive Care Units*
Mental Health*
Nursing Care
Terminal Care*
Tertiary Care Centers