Abstract
The purpose of this study was to clarify and explore the differences found between what nurses working in terminal care in palliative care wards and general wards, regarded as characteristics of a “good death”. This study was designed as a qualitative, inductive study. The study participants were 10 nurses working in palliative care wards and 12 nurses working in general wards. Data collection involved interviews and participatory observation.
The characteristics of what nurses regard as a good death were divided into 5 categories: “dying surrounded by family,” “control of symptoms was and no pain,” “time remaining was spent meaningful,” “peaceful ending,” “acceptance of dying.” When the characteristics of what was considered a “good death” are compared between nurses in palliative care and general care wards, no great difference was found in the ideal, but differences were found in whether nurses believe that their ideal of last moments were being realized, and whether nurses believed that they were contributing to and supporting the process for a good death.
