Perception of futile care of nurses in intensive care units

Futile medical care is considered as the care or treatment that does not benefit the patient. Thus, perception of the clinical team regarding futile care is of great importance and it has an important role in the quality of nursing care and health of clinical team. This study aimed to determine the relationship between perception of nurses regarding futile medical care and their caring behaviors toward patients in the final stages of life admitted to intensive care units. This correlational, analytical study was performed on 181 nursing staff of the intensive care units (ICUs) of health centers affiliated to Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran, Iran. The data collection tool included a two-part questionnaire containing demographic characteristics form, perception of futile care questionnaire, and caring behaviors inventory. To analyze the data, statistical tests and central indices of tendency and dispersion were used. Pearson’s correlation coefficient, partial correlation, t-test, and ANOVA tests were performed to assess the relationship between the variables. Findings illustrated that the majority of nurses (65.7%) had a moderate perception of futile care. In addition, it was only the mean working hours per week among the demographic variables that had a statistically significant relationship with perception of futile care (P