[[alternative]]Study on Nursing Behaviors toward Dying Patients among Nurses and Related Factors

[[abstract]]The purpose of this study was to explore nursing behaviors of dying patients among nurses and its related factors. This is a cross-sectional descriptive and correlation research. A total of 276 nurses were recruited from 3 Tao-Yuan regional hospitals. A structure questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were statistically analyzed by means of descriptive analysis, One-way ANOVA, correlation and stepwise multiple regression. The major findings of this study were as follows :（1）General speaking, the most frequently cited nursing behaviors toward dying patients was physical care, followed by family care and mental spiritual and communication care.（2）Comprehensive nursing behaviors toward dying patients could be predicted by 7 items; i.e. self-efficacy, sharing experience with peers, the number of dying patients cared, kind of ward, kind of hospital, support of head nurse, curriculum of dying patient care in their school years. The total variance was 57.2%.（3）Physical care of dying patients could be predicted by kind of ward, self-efficacy, kind of hospital, support of head nurse, sharing experience with peers and religion. The total variance was 50.9%.（4）Mental spiritual communication in nursing care toward dying patients could be predicted by self-efficacy, sharing experience with peers and kind of ward. The total variance was 46.4%. （5）Nursing care of the families of the dying patients could be predicted by self-efficacy, sharing experience with peers, curriculum of dying patient care, support of head nurse, the number of dying patients cared, age, attitude of importance about dying patient care and kind of ward. The total variance was 54.5%. The results of this study suggest that we should take terminal nursing as required course, educate nurses, arrange nurses to care dying patients and support nurses in order to increase self-efficacy toward dying patients.