Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science

Korean society of Biological Nursing Science (한국기초간호학회)
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The effects of nurses' spiritual well-being and death awareness on end-of-life nursing attitudes in Korea: a cross-sectional study

  • Received : 2024.08.14
  • Accepted : 2024.10.21
  • Published : 2024.11.30
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Abstract

Purpose: This descriptive survey was conducted to identify the factors influencing nurses' end-of-life nursing attitudes, particularly focusing on spiritual well-being and death awareness among nurses in internal medicine and surgical departments. Methods: In total, 176 nurses from five medical centers in Korea completed a structured questionnaire. Data were collected on nurses' general characteristics, end-of-life nursing attitudes, spiritual well-being, and awareness of death. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the factors affecting nurses' end-of-life nursing attitudes. Results: A significant difference in end-of-life nursing attitudes was observed according to the nursing department. Nurses in the internal medicine sector (wards and intensive care units) demonstrated significantly better end-of-life nursing attitudes than those in the surgical sector (surgical intensive care units). Death awareness exhibited a significant positive association with end-of-life nursing attitudes. The factors influencing nurses' end-of-life nursing attitudes included a higher level of death awareness, and working in an internal medicine ward as opposed to a surgical intensive care unit. Conclusion: Nurses working in internal medicine wards exhibited higher levels of end-of-life nursing attitudes, indicating the need to develop specialized training programs in end-of-life care for surgical departments. In addition, it is necessary to improve nurses' death awareness.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This article is based on part of the first author's master's thesis from Gachon University.

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