The effect of care of terminally ill patients' families on care of families attending patients' deathbeds in a general ward

Abstract

Aim: Care of families attending patients' deathbeds is important, leading to care of the bereaved. However, we have no knowledge of a causal relationship between factors of care of terminally ill patients' families and care of families attending patients' deathbeds. The aim of this survey was to find out which factors of care nurses provide to terminally ill patients' families affect care of families attending patients' deathbeds in a general ward where many terminally ill elderly patients spend their time.
Methods: Questionnaire survey of 978 general ward chief nurses working for hospitals with over 100 beds in the Kyushu district. Data were processed through factor analysis and covariance structured analysis.
Results: 236 valid responses were analyzed. Four factors regarding chief nurses providing for families of terminally ill patients were identified. These factors were interpreted as first, mediating communication between families and patients; second, providing information; third, promoting cooperation and understanding among families; and fourth alleviating restrictions. The first factor correlates with the third factor. Especially, the first factor strongly affects the provision of care to families attending patients' deathbeds. The relationships of the second and fourth factors with care of families attending patients' deathbeds were not proved.
Conclusion: Care of terminally ill patients' families in a general ward consists of four factors: mediating communication between families and patients, providing information, promoting cooperation and understanding among families, and alleviating restrictions. It was revealed that the more nurses promote cooperation and understanding among families, the more they can mediate communication between families and patients and provide care to families attending patients' deathbeds. It suggests that nurses are able to have a positive effect on the grief process of the bereaved by intervening between patients and families.