Meaning in life and self‐esteem help hospice nurses withstand prolonged exposure to death

Abstract

Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between the presence of and search for meaning in life and self‐esteem, psychological distress, burnout and affect among hospice nurses. Background The nature of hospice nursing may prompt existential concerns. Method Hospice nurses (N = 90) completed an online survey. Results The presence of meaning in life was associated with lower psychological distress, burnout and negative affect, and higher levels of positive affect, whereas the search for meaning in life was only associated with higher negative affect. Self‐esteem mediated the relationship between the presence of meaning in life and psychological distress, burnout and negative affect. Conclusion The presence of meaning in life promotes self‐esteem, which then buffers against negative outcomes. Implication for Nursing Management Although managers cannot directly instil meaning in life in hospice nurses, they may be able to help nurses to find or maintain meaning by promoting policies that allow them to participate in meaningful personal, cultural or religious activities. Additionally, managers of hospice nurses could connect them with resources (e.g. mentors, counsellors or chaplains) to cope with the existential demands of providing end‐of‐life care.

Resilience in inpatient palliative care nursing: a qualitative systematic review

“…When hospice nurses have a sense of purpose or meaning in their lives, this enhances self-esteem and buffers against potential negative outcomes following exposure to stress 59. However, this review identified the importance of making sense of stressful experiences at work (rather than in life) and developing a sense of meaning or purpose in their role.…”

Burnout in Palliative Care Nurses, Prevalence and Risk Factors: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

“…Other authors said that the feeling of having good health was negatively correlated with burnout in palliative care nurses [ 31 ]. Another study informed that EE was negatively correlated with having a meaning of life and positive affect [ 30 ], while psychological distress and negative affect were positively correlated with EE [ 30 ]. In this sense, having a meaning in life and a good self-esteem explained the variance of EE in a 3–16% [ 30 ].…”

“…Another study informed that EE was negatively correlated with having a meaning of life and positive affect [ 30 ], while psychological distress and negative affect were positively correlated with EE [ 30 ]. In this sense, having a meaning in life and a good self-esteem explained the variance of EE in a 3–16% [ 30 ]. Furthermore, burnout levels were lower in nurses with higher levels of psychological hardiness and psychological empowerment [ 33 ].…”

Work environment factors in coping with patient death among Spanish nurses: a cross-sectional survey

“…Nurses may express a variety of emotions and attitudes related to end-of-life care (1,6) , which are particularly stressful because they are constantly interpreting grief or death as a personal failure (7) . Some authors (8) stated that nurses require a wide range of skills to properly deal with death and manage their own fears, beliefs, and attitudes towards dying patients (9) .…”