Dignified dying: phenomenon and actions among nurses in India

This study contributes to the ongoing efforts of the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP) to describe the phenomenon of dignified dying, to describe nursing actions used to promote dignified dying, and to evaluate the validity of a dignified dying scale among practising nurses in India.

This descriptive study surveyed 229 nurses who had cared for dying patients and were currently practising in government and private hospitals in India.

Nurses were recruited to complete a survey in either Hindi or English. The survey included demographic, open-ended questions, and a dignified dying scale of Likert-like items. Nurses also identified nursing interventions used in practice to promote dignified dying.

The descriptions of dignified dying phenomenon fit within the three major areas of the Dignity-Conserving Model of Care. A variety of interventions were reported, with more focusing on spiritual than physical factors. The 14 items selected reliably measured dignified dying, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.79. Factor analysis yielded a 4-factor solution, with 11 items accounting for 56% of the variance.

Nurses in India endorsed spirituality as an essential aspect of the phenomenon of dignified dying. Nursing actions to promote dignified dying supported finding spiritual comfort at end of life. These results contribute to an understanding of nursing phenomena and actions worldwide.