Factors Influencing Role Ambiguity and Role Conflict Among Intensive Care Unit Nurses Providing End of Life Care

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and death anxiety with role ambiguity and role conflict in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses providing care at end of life.

Understanding the factors that impact care for patients and families at the end of life is important for nursing practice and nursing leaders.

A quantitative nonexperimental correlation design was used, with 216 critical care nurses recruited using an Internet-based website. Data were analyzed using, Pearson product-moment correlation, χ2 test of independence, and the independent-samples t test or analysis of variance as appropriate.

Role ambiguity and role conflict were negatively related to compassion satisfaction and were positively related to compassion fatigue and death anxiety. There was no relationship between increased years of ICU experience and role ambiguity and role conflict.

Compassion satisfaction is a significant predictor for role ambiguity, whereas burnout is best predicted by role conflict for ICU nurses providing end of life care.