The Concept of a Good Death from the Perspectives of Nurses Caring for Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19 in Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

We have witnessed increasing numbers of cases of COVID-19 and associated deaths worldwide. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive and cross-sectional study was to determine the perception of a good death and the factors contributing to it by nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the intensive care unit (ICU). It was carried out with nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the ICU ( n = 369). Data were collected using a questionnaire and the Good Death Scale. The mean score of the participants scale was 56.84 ± 7.51. In this study, nurses have seen as important statements that include “ensuring a peaceful death”, “being with their loved ones”, “meeting a person’s spiritual needs”, and “having an opportunity to say goodbye” for the good death. The factors contributing to the perception of a good death were gender, marital status, and feeling sad when caring for a dying patient ( p < .05).

Veterans Affairs Nurses' Perception of a Dignified Death

“…The GDS mean/average scores of 56.75 and 56.84 were higher in ICU nurses in previous studies 10,12 compared with the mean score of 47.51 in this group of VA nurses. In addition, mean scores for the 3 subdimensions were lower in this sample of VA nurses compared with ICU nurses in the Ceyhan et al 10 study.…”

“…16 Death being sudden and unexpected was considered "not necessary" by most VA nurses (66%) and staff/nurses caring for Canadian veterans (64.5%). 16 The GDS mean/average scores of 56.75 and 56.84 were higher in ICU nurses in previous studies 10,12 compared with the mean score of 47.51 in this group of VA nurses. In addition, mean scores for the 3 subdimensions were lower in this sample of VA nurses compared with ICU nurses in the Ceyhan et al 10 study.…”

“…There was a weak, negative relationship between ASAPDD scores and age ( r = −0.18, P = −.01), with lower scores of adopting the principles associated with increased age. Turkish ICU nurses (N = 369) who cared for patients given a diagnosis of COVID-19 had a mean score of 56.84 ± 7.51 on the GDS with sex (female), marital status (married), and feelings of sadness contributing a small percentage (7.4%) of the variance on the GDS 12 …”

“…Turkish ICU nurses (N = 369) who cared for patients given a diagnosis of COVID-19 had a mean score of 56.84 ± 7.51 on the GDS with sex (female), marital status (married), and feelings of sadness contributing a small percentage (7.4%) of the variance on the GDS. 12 Hospice and Oncology Nurses Fifty hospice nurses were 1 of 4 cohorts engaged in validation of the Concept of a Good Death measure by Schwartz et al 13 Following a person's wishes was deemed essential by 79% of total participants; spiritual needs met, 56%; peaceful death, 51%; and pain free, 45%. Oncology nurses in South Korea (N = 329) were subjects in a study by Park and Park 14 who found low positive correlations between attitudes toward a dignified death and compassion competence (r = 0.25, P = .00) and resilience (r = 0.26, P = .00).…”