[The practical wisdom gained in the provision of end-of-life care]

The suffering experienced by nurses while providing end-of-life care to patients influences the lived experience of these nurses. The perspectives of "for the other" and "practical wisdom" may be used to elicit the experience of nurses in caring for dying patients and to help illustrate the ethical contents and meanings of end-of-life care.

This study describes the experiences of nurses who have provided end-of life care in hospital settings.

In-depth interviews were used to explore the respective experiences of 7 nurses. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

The findings show that practicing and engaging in end-of-life care provide nurses the opportunity to acquire practical care wisdom in three categories, including (1) the emotional difficulties of patient care; (2) the limitations of the self; and (3) learning to adjust to the needs and pace of the patient.

End-of-life care is an opportunity for both dying patients and nurses to transform and grow spiritually. Dealing with the emotional difficulties of end-of-life care, recognizing their self-limitations in care, and adjusting their care provision to meet the needs and pace of their patients help increase the awareness of nurses to the ethical responsibility they have toward patients. These findings give nurses new perspectives on caring for others.