Korean J Adult Nurs.  2023 Aug;35(3):273-289. 10.7475/kjan.2023.35.3.273.

Self-reflection of a General Ward Nurses on the Experience of End-of-Life Care for a Patient who Decided to Suspend Life-sustaining Treatment: van Manen's Hermeneutic Phenomenological Approach

• Hong HJ

• KMID: 2545841
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7475/kjan.2023.35.3.273

Abstract

Purpose
This study identified the experiences of self-reflection of a general ward nurses on the experience of end-of-life care for a patient who decided to suspend life-sustaining treatment and these experiences’ nature and meaning.
Methods
van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenology research method was used to qualitatively analyze the data. The study participants were 20 nurses with more than three years of working in general wards of tertiary general hospitals. Data were collected through face-to-face in-depth interviews and direct observation by the researchers. Social distancing was practiced in accordance with COVID-19 social distancing policy.
Results
Four existences were identified from which 5 main and 14 sub-themes were derived. Five essential themes emerged from the analysis: 1) Hoping to return to an undamaged body and knowing the preciousness of the body, 2) Realize that the ability to care for the dying patient becomes more mature with the increase in career, 3) The death in the treatment room like a death on street makes regrettable the absence of end-of-life rooms, 4) Seeing the preciousness of my life in accompaniment with death, and 5) Become aware of growing up as a professional nurse.
Conclusion
The results of this study provided an in-depth understanding of the end-of-life experiences of patients who decided to suspend life-sustaining treatment in general ward nurses. It can be used to develop end-of-life nursing education for nurses and students and develop nursing interventions for end-of-life patients.

Keyword

Death; Nurses; Qualitative