Home visiting nurses' attitudes toward caring for dying patients, and related workplace factors

To identify workplace factors related to home visiting nurses (HVNs) positive attitudes toward caring for dying patients.

In this cross-sectional study, 343 HVNs working in 62 agencies across Chiba prefecture, eastern Japan, received an anonymous self-administered questionnaire from July to August 2012.

304 questionnaires (88.6%) were returned, and the data of 206 HVNs (60.1%) in 54 different agencies was analysed. Multiple regression analysis showed that attendance at terminal care seminars, agency support of schedule organisation enabling attendance at terminal care seminars, and positive feedback from patients and families were significantly positively associated with HVNs' attitudes toward terminal care.

These results may give useful interventional methods for nursing managers to enhance HVNs terminal care practices.