Attitudes towards death and mourning of nurses after loss of patient

Bez obzira na područje profesionalne skrbi, smrt pacijenta je bez sumnje emocionalno kompleksno iskustvo (1) koje može utjecati na suočavanje medicinske sestre sa smrću (2). Medicinske sestre mogu iskazivati različite emocije vezane uz smrt pacijenta (1), a neadekvatno suočavanje sa smrću smanjuje zadovoljstvo poslom i uzrokuje povećanje razine stresa kod medicinskih sestara, što može nepovoljno utjecati na kvalitetu zdravstvene skrbi (5). Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je istražiti žaluju li medicinske sestre za preminulim pacijentom te njihove stavove prema smrti kao završetku života. Istraživanje je provedeno u online obliku u razdoblju od 10 dana i u njemu je sudjelovalo 203 medicinskih sestara, od čega je 28 bilo medicinskih tehničara, neprobabilističkim slučajnim uzrokom. Istraživanje je pokazalo kako većina ispitanika osjeća jaku empatiju prema gubitku pacijenta, čak polovica ispitanika preplavljena je osjećajima nakon gubitka pacijenta te čak u 46% slučajeva misle na preminulog pacijenta. Skupina najpogođenija gubitkom pacijenta pokazala se ona u dobi od 40-55 godina, koja je nakon gubitka pacijenta značajnije preplavljena osjećajima, kao i skupina medicinskih sestara koje rade u ambulantama i rjeđe se susreću sa smrću. Rezultati istraživanja tako su pokazali da medicinske sestre koje imaju kraći radni staž rjeđe žaluju za preminulim pacijentom. Također, istraživanje je pokazalo da medicinske sestre često žaluju za pacijentom, ali imaju neutralne stavove prema smrti. Važno je za istaknuti kako je velik broj ispitanika, čak 57,6% iskazalo kako postoji potreba za psihološkom pomoći ili nekim vidom psihoterapije nakon smrti pacijenta.Regardless of the area of professional care, a patient’s death is undoubtedly an emotionally complex experience (1) that can affect a nurse’s coping with death (2). Nurses can express a variety of emotions related to a patient’s death (1), and inadequate coping with death reduces job satisfaction and causes an increase in stress levels in nurses, which can adversely affect the quality of health care (5). The aim of this study was to investigate whether nurses mourn a deceased patient and their attitudes toward death as the end of life. The study was conducted online over a 10-day period and involved 203 nurses, 28 of whom were medical technicians, by a non-probabilistic random cause. The survey showed that most respondents feel strong empathy for the loss of a patient, as many as half of the respondents are overwhelmed with feelings after the loss of a patient, and in as many as 46% of cases, they think of a deceased patient. The group most affected by the loss of the patient was the one aged 40-55, who was significantly overwhelmed with feelings after the loss of the patient, as well as the group of nurses who work in clinics and are less likely to encounter death. The results of the research thus showed that nurses with shorter work experience are less likely to mourn the deceased patient. Also, the research showed that nurses often mourn the patient, but have neutral attitudes towards death. It is important to point out that large number of respondents, as many as 57.6% stated that there is a need for psychological help or some form of psychotherapy after the death of the patient