Frequent and difficult problems perceived by nurses caring for the dying in community, hospice and acute care settings

Abstract

A total of 167 practising nurses from three practice settings--community, hospice and acute care--were asked to identify the five most common problems encountered when caring for the dying and the five most difficult problems to manage. Nine main categories of problems were elicited, including physical, work-related, nurse-related, death-related and spiritual problems. Key categories have been selected for discussion in this paper. Specific differences in the responses obtained from the three practice settings may be related to differences in the ethos of care of the dying patient in each area, particularly between hospice/community care and acute care. The findings of the survey will serve as a basis for planning initiatives in education and research in palliative care nursing.