Attitudes of Nurses towards Death

Confrontation with the phenomenon of patient death is an inevitable part of work in therapeutic professions، especially for nursing staff. In many cases، the nurse is the only person at the time of patient death and the attitude toward death is an important factor that may affect the behaviors of health care professionals. This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes of nurses in hospitals affiliated to Social Security Organization in the Province of Golestan towards patient death.

In this cross-sectional and descriptive study، 106 nurses working in the hospitals of social security organization in Golestan province were selected to participate in the study through the consensus sampling method. Demographic caracteristic form and the revised standard scale of attitude toward death (DAP-R) were used for data gathering. Descriptive (frequency، mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t student، ANOVA، Tukey & Shefeh test، Pearson) were used to analyze data in SPSS v. 16.

The results showed the mean and standard deviation of attitudes towards death was above the standard average (150. 23±14. 48). Multivariate regression analysis showed a significant correlation between attitudes toward death and work experience of nurses (p<0. 007). So، with each year of work experience، negative attitude towards death was decreased by 5 times. Also there was significant correlation between attitude to death and education (p<0. 003). The nurses who had passed courses or workshops about care of deceased patients had better attitudes.

This study showed that nurses almost had a positive attitude towards death. They spend longtime and closer relationship with patients and their families or relatives. Positive perspective of nurses regarding death care can be effective in supporting of patients and their family members.