INTENSIVE CARE NURSES’ EXPERIENCES REGARDING PATIENT DEATH; A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the experiences of intensive care nurses regarding patient death and the meanings they attribute to this process. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 19 intensive care nurses using a semi-structured interview form. The data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes and sixteen sub-themes were identified: reality of death, change and transformation, and need for support. The findings revealed that nurses experience death as a complex and multidimensional process involving emotional burden, personal and professional transformation, and various coping strategies. Conclusion: The findings indicate that intensive care nurses’ experiences of death constitute a dynamic process involving emotional burden, transformation, and meaning-making, shaped by both professional experience and institutional support. These results contribute to a better understanding of nurses’ adaptation to death and emphasize the importance of structured interventions to support their psychological well-being.

Keywords

• Death
• Experience
• Intensive Care
• Nurse
• Qualitative Research

Ethical Statement

The research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki 1975. Ethics committee approval was obtained from the Social and Human Sciences Scientific Research Publication Ethics Committee of Istanbul Beykent University (E-45778635-050.99-91352 / 01.02.2023). The purpose of the study was explained to all participants and their consent was obtained. The names of the participants were kept confidential. In addition, the participant number and gender were stated instead of their names in their statements (e.g. E5-male nurse and P7-female nurse).

Thanks

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to all intensive care nurses who voluntarily participated in this study and generously shared their experiences. Their valuable contributions made this research possible.

YOĞUN BAKIM HEMŞİRELERİNİN HASTA ÖLÜMÜNE İLİŞKİN DENEYİMLERİ: NİTEL BİR ÇALIŞMA

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma, yoğun bakım hemşirelerinin hasta ölümüyle ilgili deneyimlerini ve bu sürece atfettikleri anlamı incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: Araştırma fenomenolojik desende nitel bir çalışma olarak yürütülmüştür. Veriler, 19 yoğun bakım hemşiresi ile yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yoluyla toplanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler tümevarımsal tematik analiz yöntemi kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular: Analiz sonucunda ölümün gerçekliği, değişim ve dönüşüm ile destek ihtiyacı olmak üzere üç ana tema ve on alt tema belirlenmiştir. Bulgular, hemşirelerin ölümü; duygusal yük, kişisel ve mesleki dönüşüm ile farklı baş etme stratejilerini içeren çok boyutlu ve karmaşık bir süreç olarak deneyimlediklerini göstermektedir. Sonuç: Yoğun bakım hemşirelerinin ölüm deneyimleri; duygusal yük, dönüşüm ve anlam oluşturma süreçlerini içeren dinamik bir yapıya sahiptir ve bu süreç hem mesleki deneyim hem de kurumsal destek ile şekillenmektedir. Elde edilen bulgular, hemşirelerin ölümle baş etme süreçlerini anlamaya katkı sağlamakta ve psikolojik iyilik hallerini desteklemeye yönelik yapılandırılmış müdahalelerin gerekliliğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

• Hemşire
• Yoğun bakım
• Ölüm
• Deneyim
• Nitel araştırma

Ethical Statement

Araştırma, 1975 Helsinki Bildirgesi'ne uygun olarak yürütülmüştür. İstanbul Beykent Üniversitesi Sosyal ve Beşeri Bilimler Bilimsel Araştırma Yayın Etik Kurulu'ndan etik kurul onayı alınmıştır (E-45778635-050.99-91352 / 01.02.2023). Çalışmanın amacı tüm katılımcılara açıklanmış ve onayları alınmıştır. Katılımcıların isimleri gizli tutulmuştur. Ayrıca, katılımcıların ifadelerinde isimleri yerine katılımcı numarası ve cinsiyeti belirtilmiştir (örneğin, E5-erkek hemşire ve P7-kadın hemşire).

Thanks

Yazarlar, bu çalışmaya gönüllü olarak katılan ve deneyimlerini cömertçe paylaşan tüm yoğun bakım hemşirelerine içten teşekkürlerini sunmak isterler. Onların değerli katkıları bu araştırmayı mümkün kılmıştır.

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