'Death rounds to support critical care nurses: a qualitative study'

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Psychology
• Palliative Care

Background:

• End-of-life care significantly impacts critical care nurses' psychological well-being.
• The utility of death rounds as a support system for these nurses is not well-understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore critical care nurses' perceptions and experiences of attending death rounds.
• To understand the perceived benefits and barriers associated with death rounds for nurses providing end-of-life care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study utilizing one-to-one, audio-recorded interviews.
• Conducted in a medical intensive care unit in a Singaporean tertiary hospital.
• Thematic analysis of data from 14 critical care nurses.

Main Results:

• Nurses highly valued death rounds as an outlet for emotional expression and patient remembrance.
• Death rounds fostered peer support, enhanced nursing and interprofessional cohesiveness, and facilitated learning for improved palliative care.
• Optimal rounds occurred in safe, facilitated environments with interdisciplinary attendance and a flat hierarchy.
• Barriers included overly formal proceedings, inconvenient timing, and unfamiliarity with patients.

Conclusions:

• Death rounds serve as a valuable and viable support mechanism for critical care nurses.
• Implementing effective death rounds can mitigate the psychological impact of end-of-life care on nursing staff.