Perceptions of palliative care nurses related to death and palliative care practices

This study has been conducted with the purpose of identifying the perceptions of palliative nurses about death and determining palliative care practices. Qualitative research method was used in the research. The research data were collected using interview techniques. The participants of this study are total of 23 palliative care nurses in Bolu. Content analysis was used in the evaluation of the data. Participants' views were gathered by interview form consisting of seven questions prepared by using the literature. The following results were obtained in the study: Three themes have been identified after the examination of the perception of death. These themes are "definition of death", "perception related to death process" and "what nurses think and feel when they encounter a death in their working units". Furthermore, four themes have been identified after the examination of palliative care practices. These themes are as follows: "Nursing practices concerning a patient who is on the brink of death", "feelings when a nurse feels positive and negative when providing care service for a patient who is on the verge of death", "difficulties observed when providing care service for a patient who is about to pass away" and "views of nurses regarding the ideal care of a patient who is about to die". It was concluded that the palliative nurses perceive death as a natural and inevitable process and that as long as their working period increases, they become desensitized. It was identified that the participants generally perform the following procedures in palliative care practices: Elimination of pain, meeting the self-care needs and wound care practices. Key Words: Nurse, Death, Palliative care