Developing continuing education programs that teach effective coping strategies to prevent death anxiety and identifying barriers that can make caring for dying patients difficult may make the journey from novice to expert nurse a gratifying and rewarding experience.

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The purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to (a) investigate whether elders report using prayer as a coping strategy, (b) examine the frequency and type of spiritual treatment modalities used by elders, and (c) determine if there is a relationship between spiritual treatment modalities and coping in this population. The sample consisted of 50 community-dwelling elders with a mean age of 74 years. Descriptive findings indicate that 96% of elders use prayer to cope with stress based on the Jalowiec Coping Scale. Women and Blacks used prayer to cope with stress significantly more often than did men and Whites. The most frequently reported alternative treatment modality was prayer (84%). The total number of spiritual treatment modalities reported was significantly correlated with the frequent use of more positive coping styles.

Findings from this research study suggest that nurse practitioners need to first identify patients with heart failure who lack the self-care confidence required to manage their condition at home, and then focus on specific educational interventions to build confidence in self-care prior to discharge.

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