Faculty Collaboration Database

Assessing nurses' attitudes toward death and caring for dying patients in a comprehensive cancer center. Oncol Nurs Forum 2008 Nov;35(6):955-9

Date

11/05/2008

Pubmed ID

18980927

DOI

10.1188/08.ONF.955-959

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-57849093686 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   160 Citations

Abstract

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To assess how nurses employed in a comprehensive cancer center feel about death and caring for dying patients and examine any relationships between their attitudes and demographic factors.

DESIGN: Descriptive quantitative.

SETTING: A 432-bed comprehensive cancer center in New York, NY.

SAMPLE: A convenience sample of 355 inpatient and outpatient oncology nurses.

METHODS: Voluntary and anonymous completion of the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD), the Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R), and a demographic questionnaire.

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Years of total nursing experience, years employed at the cancer center, previous experience with caring for dying patients, age, gender, and attitudes toward death and caring for dying patients.

FINDINGS: Statistically significant relationships were noted among age, nursing experience, previous experience with caring for terminally ill patients, and scores on the FATCOD and DAP-R. Nursing experience and age were the variables most likely to predict nurses' attitudes toward death and caring for dying patients.

CONCLUSIONS: RNs with more work experience tended to have more positive attitudes toward death and caring for dying patients.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Based on the data collected in the study, less experienced oncology nurses will most likely benefit from increased education, training, and exposure to providing and coping effectively with end-of-life care.

Author List

Lange M, Thom B, Kline NE

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Age Factors
Attitude to Death
Cancer Care Facilities
Curriculum
Education, Nursing
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Nursing
Nurse-Patient Relations
Nurses
Oncology Nursing
Palliative Care
Surveys and Questionnaires
Terminal Care
Time Factors
Young Adult