Feelings and Emotions of Nurses Related to Dying and Death of Patients – A Pilot Study

Abstract

Introduction The aim of the study, conducted in selected inpatient units, was to evaluate and analyse the feelings and emotions which accompany nurses during their work when they face the death of patients. Material and Methods A total of 160 nurses were invited to participate in the study. The study group consisted of 40 nurses from each of the four departments of a municipal hospital: a surgery unit, an internal medicine unit, a hospital emergency department (ER) and an intensive care unit (ICU). A diagnostic survey method was used, including a questionnaire on sociodemographic data as well as questions designed by the author of the research related to the feelings of nurses provoked by the death of patients. To assess the level of anxiety and the ways of coping with stress related to contact with dying patients, Mini-COPE and PSS-10 questionnaires were used. Results Compassion, sadness and helplessness are the most common types of nurses’ emotions caused by the death of patients, regardless of the nurses’ length of service and the place of work. In the study group, 53.90% of participants experienced a high level of stress. The level of anxiety in nurses from the internal medicine ward was significantly higher than in the nurses from the intensive care unit and the emergency department. The way of coping with stress is related to the period of service and the workplace of nurses. Conclusion Nurses experience a high level of stress and strong emotions triggered by the observation of dying patients. Various styles of coping with stress can be noticed depending on job seniority and a place of employment. Due to the emotions evoked by the necessity to deal with death while performing professional duties, it is advisable to develop effective ways of coping in difficult situations.

Barriers and Facilitators of Working with Dying Patients among Novice Nurses in Saudi Arabia

“…The first barrier was the lack of experience with dying patients. This is consistent with previous research in which nursing staff at regular wards, neurological units, and critical care units were assessed by Kostka et al [ 7 ]. The mortality of a patient was shown to be the most distressing aspect for those operating in the neurological unit; however, this same event was found by the employees of the critical care unit not to be as distressing as resuscitation.…”

“…Shift work, which disturbs the normal sleep cycle; excessive physiological and psychological burden; organizational issues at the workplace; interpersonal communication challenges; unsatisfying compensation; uncertain professional growth paths; job instability, and many other factors lead to anxiety. Nurses who operate in places where they come into contact with dying patients believe that death causes intense emotions and tension [ 7 ]. Generally, one of the crucial circumstances in nursing is when a patient dies.…”

Influence of basic attributes and attitudes of nurses toward death on nurse turnover: A prospective study

“…Although there have been no other longitudinal studies regarding the attitudes of nurses toward death and turnover, researchers have noted that when nurses truly experience the process of a patient dying in their work and in the process face the patient and their family, they may fear being incompetent or project the emotions onto themselves. In other words, nurses are afraid that they themselves or their families could experience the same scenario as the patient and therefore put themselves under more pressure while caring for patients (Kostka et al., 2021; Parentoni et al., 2015). Guo and Zheng (2019) discovered that when nurses face patient death, those who experience fear of death and escape acceptance or are under 30 years of age are more likely to suffer from emotional burnout.…”

“…The attitude of nurses toward death not only influences their response and professional behavior towards their patients, but also affects their ability to empathetically care for their patients and to meet the needs of dying patients. Their attitude can affect provision of quality of care (Ay & Öz, 2019; Kostka et al., 2021). Some nurses may even feel annoyance and other negative emotions but are unable to deal with the emotions nor get help.…”

“Suddenly Feeling Dark”: A Qualitative Study on the Experiences of Nurses Facing Coworker Death During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The death of a nurse is known to trigger a grieving process with a strong emotional response among their coworkers (Kostka et al, 2021). Mughal et al (2022) explained that grieving is an outward expression of grief influenced by cultural and religious customs around death and the process of adapting to life after loss.…”