Facing death in the intensive care unit. A phenomenological study of nurses' experiences

Abstract

Background: Nurses may experience considerable emotional burden due to patient death, in part as they are generally the professionals who have the most contact with patients.

Objective: To describe the lived experience of Spanish nurses working in intensive care units regarding how they face the death of their patients.

Methods: A qualitative phenomenological study was performed. A purposeful sample was used. The data collection strategies used included in-depth unstructured and semi-structured interviews, field notes and personal documents. Afterwards, data were analyzed using the Giorgi proposal.

Results: 22 nurses participated, with a mean age of 40.8 years and a mean work experience of 13.8 years. Three themes were identified: 1) dealing with expectations of recovery, 2) accepting the age of death, and 3) experiencing emotional attachment.

Conclusions: Nurses in intensive care units report a great emotional burden derived from patients death, Support programs for nurses should be organised within these units.

Keywords: attitude to death; burn-out; intensive care; nursing care.