On Between Death and Life: Intensive Care Nurses

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore intensive care nurses’ perceptions and experiences about death and dying patient. This study included 15 nurses from a university hospital’s intensive care units (paediatric and internal medicine). Data were collected through face-to-face, in-depth and individual interviews using the “Nurse Information Form” and “Semi-Structured Interview Form”. Six major themes and sixteen sub-themes were identified on the nurses' perceptions and experiences with death. After the nurses described their perceptions of death, their responses, approaches, coping mechanisms, and effects on the dead and dying patient in care and factors affecting perceptions of death were defined. Our findings suggest that nurses, particularly those working in intensive care, should be educated/trained on death, and dying patient care. Thus, orderly psychological support should be provided to nurses.