Intensive Care Nurses' Experiences Related to Dying Patients: A Qualitative Study

KIZILTEPE S. K., Koç Z.

OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING, vol.88, no.3, pp.1016-1030, 2024 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 88 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Doi Number: 10.1177/00302228211051856
  • Journal Name: OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, ASSIA, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, Abstracts in Social Gerontology, AgeLine, ATLA Religion Database, CINAHL, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Psycinfo, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts, Violence & Abuse Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.1016-1030
  • Keywords: death, dying patient, intensive care unit, nurses, qualitative, OF-LIFE CARE, END, PERSPECTIVES, WITHDRAWAL, GRIEF, PICU
  • Ondokuz Mayıs University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Objective: To describe intensive care nurses' experiences of caring for dying patients. Method: This study was carried out between July 15, 2019, and September 15, 2019, in a university hospital's intensive care unit. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 14 intensive care nurses to describe their experiences related to patient deaths. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify, analyse and report the identified themes. Results: Four themes were identified: (I) Emotions experienced the first time their patient passed away; (II) feelings and thoughts on impact of death; (III) difficulties encountered when providing care and (IV) coping methods with this situation. Conclusion: Despite the passage of time, nurses are unable to forget their death experiences when they first encountered. They oftentimes use ineffective methods of coping and were negatively affected physically and emotionally.