Effect of certain characteristics of the physicians and nurses on attitudes related to principles about die with dignity

Effect of Certain Characteristics of the Physicians and Nurses on Attitudes Related to Principles about Die with Dignity The aim of this study is to examine the effect of certain characteristics of the physicians and nurses who provide care for people who are about to die on their attitudes related to die with dignity and peace. It is a definitive research conducted on the physicians and nurses employed in a university hospital from September 2015 to November 2015. Five hundred nighty health professionals (355 nurses, 235 physicians) who work in a university hospital for minimum 6 months participate to the research. The research data were collected using Sociodemographic and Work Related Characteristics Questionnaires, Assessment Scale of Attitudes towards Principles about Die with Dignity and Thorson Powell Scale of Death Anxiety. Definitive statistics of variable were performed in data assessment and the data which fail to exhibit normal distribution were assessed using Mann-Whitney U Test and Kruskal-Wallis H Test. Regression Analysis was performed in multi-variable analyses. As a result of the research, the level of adaptation of principles about die with dignity by the physicians were found to be higher than that of nurses and physicians and nurses agreed with the principles related to intimacy, pain and symptom control, moral support, ability to receive care outside the hospital, determining the individuals who will be with the patient at the last moment. The level of adaptation of principles by the physicians employed in Internal Medicine Sciences were found to be higher than that of the physicians employed in Surgical Medicine Sciences and the level of adaptation of principles by the nurses provided training on palliative care were found to be higher than that of the nurses who are not provided training. The variables of professions, ages, professional experiences and training on palliative care of the physicians and nurses were found to be correlated with their attitudes towards principles about die with dignity. It is suggested reflecting end of life care in nursing education to theoretical and practical educations, adopting principles about die with dignity in institutions and entities offering health care and developing care protocols.