Impact of spiritual care perception of nurses on their attitudes toward death and care of the dying patients

Purpose: This study was planned to determine the impact of spiritual care perception of nurses on their attitudes toward death and care of the dying patients. Materials and Methods: The present study which was planned as a descriptive correlational study was conducted at Ondokuz Mayıs University Healthcare Practices and Research Center Hospital between 28/07/2021 and 30/03/2023. The study used a nested mixed design which uses qualitative and quantitative research methods together. The quantitative research sample of the study comprised 383 nurses and the qualitative research sample comprised 12 nurses. The quantitative data were collected using Nurses Introductory Information Form, Spirituality and Spiritual Care Grading Scale (SSCGS), Spiritual Support Perception Determination Scale (SSPDS), Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD) and Death Attitude Profile Scale (DAP-R). The qualitative data were collected using a semi-structured interview form. In analysis of the quantitative data, the IBM SPSS V23.0 program was used. In analysis of the qualitative data, the MAXQDA 22 program was used. Findings: It was determined that the mean total SSCGS score was 3.4±0.5, the mean total SSPDS score was 47.1±10.5 and the mean total FATCOD score was 100.2±9.6. The mean total scores were found to be 4.3±1.1, 4.1±1.2, 5.5±0.9, 4.9±1.0 and 3.9±1.5 for the Fear of Death, Avoiding Death, Objective Acceptance, Acceptive Approach and Denial of Death subscales of DAP-R, respectively. It was determined that there was a moderate correlation between the mean total SSCGS score and the mean total SSPDS score in a positive direction (r=0.421, p<0.001). It was determined that there was a weak correlation between the mean total SSCGS score and the mean FATCOD score in a positive direction (r=0.154, p=0.003). It was determined that there was a weak correlation between the mean total FATCOD score and the mean total SSPDS score in a positive direction (r=0.326, p<0.001). It was determined that there was a weak correlation between the mean DAP-R Objective Acceptance subscale score and the mean total SSCGS score in a positive direction (r=0.233, p<0.001). It was determined that there was a weak correlation between the mean total FATCOD score and the mean DAP-R Objective Acceptance subscale score in a positive direction (r=0.285, p<0.001). As a result of the analysis of the qualitative data, seven themes and thirty-one subthemes were determined. Conclusion: It is possible to state that spiritual care perception of the nurses in the present study was a significant predictor affecting their attitudes toward death and care of the dying patients.