• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.285-297
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• 1996

This study has been done for the purpose of investigating the degrees of death orientation and terminal care performance. The factors related to these two variables, and the relationship between death orientation and terminal care performance. The subjects of study were 128 nurses who implemented nursing care for terminally ill patients at C University Hospital in Kwang Ju city. The data were collected from March 13 to 19, 1996, by means of Death Orientation by Thorson Powell(1988) and Terminal Care Performance Scale by researcher. The data were analysed by t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The Results of this study were summarized as follows : 1. The mean score of death orientation was 61.4. The degree of death orientation showed no significant difference depending on the general characteristics of nurses. 2. The mean score of terminal care performance was 45.5. In comparison of the degree of terminal care performance among three domains, the mean score of each item tended to show higher degrees in order of 'Psychological domain(2.4)', 'Physical domain(2.2)', 'Spiritual domain(1.9)'. 3. The degree of terminal care performance showed significant differences in age(F=11.48 p=.0001), marital status(t=10.49 p=.0015), religion(t=5.01 p=.0270), period of clinical experience(F=10.30 p=.0001) and ward unit(F=3.73 p=.0036). The degree of terminal care performance in physical domain showed significant differences in age(F=7.26 p=.0010), marital status(t=9.72 p=.0023), period of clinical experience(F=7.03 p=.0013), ward unit(F=6.23 p=.0001). The degree of terminal care performance in psychological domain showed significant differences in age(F=8.73 p=.0003), marital status(t=4.22 p=.0419), religion(t=5.59 p=.0196), period of clinical experience(F=6.36 p=.0023), ward unit(F=3.33 p=.0075). The degree of terminal care performance in spiritual domain showed significant differences in age(F=8.30 p=.0004), marital status(t=10.45 p=.0016), religion(F=5.41 p=.0216), period of clinical experience(F=8.80 p=.0003). 4. The relationship between the degrees of death orientation and terminal care performance showed no correlation(r=-.026 p=.7746).

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.80-89
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• 2013

Purpose: We investigated how intensive care unit (ICU) nurses understand the meaning of death, death anxiety, death concern and respect for life. Methods: From November 2009 through February 2010, a survey was conducted on 230 nurses working at the ICU of 10 general hospitals located in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. Participants were asked to answer a questionnaire consisted of 67 questions under four categories of the meaning of death, death anxiety, death concern and respect for life. Results: Participants scored 4.27 points on their understanding of the meaning of death, 4.43 on death anxiety, 4.12 on death concern and 4.18 on respect for life. Participants' meaning of death was negatively correlated with death anxiety and death concern and positively with respect for life. Participants' positive meaning of death was negatively correlated with death anxiety and death concern and positively with respect for life. Participants' negative meaning of death was negatively correlated with death anxiety and death concern and positively with respect for life. Participants' death anxiety was positively correlated with death concern and negatively with respect for life. Participants' death concern was negatively correlated with respect for life. Conclusion: Compared with nurses who served at ICU for a long time, nurses with less ICU experience scored lower on the meaning of death and respect for life, while they presented high anxiety and concern about death. A training course may help nurses develop their view on the meaning of death, which in turn would enhance their performance in caring dying patients.