Everyday death: how do nurses cope with caring for dying people in hospital?

Abstract 

In the UK, policies on health recognise the importance of supporting healthcare professionals if they are to realise their potential for delivering quality services. Little is known about how nurses working in hospitals cope with caring for dying people and, hence how they might be best supported in this work.

This paper reports a qualitative study informed by phenomenological philosophy, which developed a theory of how newly qualified nurses cope with caring for dying people in acute hospital medical wards. On the basis of the theory, interventions are proposed that could help support nurses in their work with dying people.

Keywords:  Coping, Phenomenology, Qualitative research, Support, Death and dying