How nurses cope with death in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Pediatric Intensive Care
• Thanatology

Background:

• Child death in Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) presents significant emotional challenges for nursing staff.
• Nurses require effective coping mechanisms to manage grief and maintain professional care during end-of-life situations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the coping strategies employed by nurses working in PICUs when faced with patient death.
• To understand how nurses manage emotional distress and provide care during pediatric end-of-life situations.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative, hermeneutical phenomenological approach was utilized.
• Intentional sampling selected 10 nurses from PICUs in Manizales, Colombia.
• In-depth interviews were conducted and data analyzed using established qualitative procedures.

Main Results:

• Nurses employ emotion-focused coping strategies, including emotional inhibition.
• Communication with patients and families, alongside prayer and accompaniment, are key strategies.
• These strategies aim to alleviate suffering and support families during bereavement.

Conclusions:

• Nurses in PICUs develop coping strategies for end-of-life care, integrating spiritual resources and communication.
• Effective coping involves reflection on death and accompanying the child and family through this process.
• Ongoing support for families is crucial, highlighting the need for robust nursing support systems.