Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/191655

Title

Palliative care nurses' perceptions of good and bad deaths and care expectations: a qualitative analysis

Author(s)

Kristjanson, Linda J.;  McPhee, Irene;  Pickstock, Sarah;  Wilson, Donna;  Oldham, Lynn;  Martin, Karen

Abstract

Individuals who are involved with the death of a person with a terminal illness will often classify the death as either 'good' or 'bad'. Families and healthcare practitioners assess many factors when determining their 'success' or 'failure' in assisting someone in the terminal phase. Palliative care nurses are particularly vulnerable to self-assessments about care of the dying, because death is a daily occurrence. Feelings of failure, unmet expectations and feeling of regret about not being able to prevent a traumatic death may be a source of stress for palliative care nurse and may affect their abilities to function effectively. This article reports the findings of a study involving interviews with 20 palliative care nurses to determine their perceptions of a good and bad death. The study also examined the expectations they hold of themselves and that they believe others hold of them in helping patients to attain a good death. Clinical implications are discussed based on these findings.

Publication type

Journal article

Source

International Journal of Palliative Nursing, Vol. 7, no. 3 (Mar 2001), pp. 129-139

Publication year

2001

FOR Code(s)

1110 Nursing

Keyword(s)

Attitude of health personnel;  Attitude to death;  Health care quality;  Health personnel attitude;  Hospital subdivisions and components;  Needs assessment;  Nurse patient relationship;  Nursing methodology research;  Nursing staff;  Palliative care;  Palliative therapy;  Psychological aspect;  Questionnaires;  Right to die;  Standard;  Teaching hospital;  Terminal care

Publisher

Mark Allen Publishing

ISSN

1357-6321

Publisher URL

http://www.ijpn.co.uk/

Copyright

Copyright © 2001.

Peer reviewed