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. 2025 Sep 15:S2588-994X(25)00069-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.auec.2025.09.003. Online ahead of print.

Predictors of end-of-life care among emergency nurses: A cross-sectional study in Korea

Ji Seon Lee  1 , Sook Jung Kang  2
Affiliations

Predictors of end-of-life care among emergency nurses: A cross-sectional study in Korea

Ji Seon Lee et al. Australas Emerg Care. .

Abstract

Background: With emergency departments (EDs) facing growing demand to provide end-of-life care (EOLC), it has become more important to identify the factors that influence the EOLC practices of ED nurses. This study examined the effects of nursing professional values, the nursing work environment, and compassion competence on the EOLC practices of ED nurses.

Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 136 ED nurses in Korea. Statistical analysis was conducted to examine the relationships among key variables and identify significant predictors of EOLC practices.

Results: EOLC practices exhibited a significant positive correlation with nursing professional values (r = .43), the work environment (r = .42), and compassion competence (r = .60; all p < .001). Compassion competence was the strongest predictor of EOLC practices (β = 0.497, p < .001), explaining 39 % of the variance.

Conclusions: Compassion competence was the most influential factor affecting EOLC practices among ED nurses. These findings highlight the need to incorporate compassion training into ongoing education and create supportive environments that promote emotionally attuned care, even in high-pressure emergency settings.

Keywords: Compassion Competence; Emergency Nursing; End-of-Life Care; Professionalism; Terminal Care; Work Environment.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest This article is a revised and condensed version of the first author’s master’s thesis and was submitted independently by the authors. The study was not commissioned, and the authors had full access to all data and take full responsibility for the integrity and accuracy of the analysis. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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