Emotional support for dying patients--the nurses' perspective

This study describes and explains the provision of emotional support to the dying patients from the nurses' viewpoint. The results are part of a questionnaire survey concerned with terminal care on inpatient wards at community health centres in Finland. The sample consisted of 328 nurses from 32 health centres. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire in which emotional support was measured by multiple-choice items and one open-ended question. The data were analysed using content analysis. Listening, touching, expressing empathy, attending to the patients' wishes, comforting, encouraging and being present were the most common forms of emotional support. The support was mainly provided in connection with basic care. Problems concerning the provision of emotional support were focused on organisational resources, nursing staff, patients and family members. The size of the health centre, further training in the care of terminal patients and reading the literature were associated with the provision of support. In conclusion, nurses feel they need time as well as sufficient skills and competencies so that they can provide emotional support to the extent and in the way that they themselves want to.