Healing Through Loss: Exploring Nurses' Post-Traumatic Growth After Patient Death.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Healthcare
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant patient mortality, impacting healthcare professionals.
• Nurses faced unprecedented challenges, including patient death, necessitating an understanding of their psychological responses.
• Post-traumatic growth (PTG) is a potential positive outcome following traumatic experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors contributing to post-traumatic growth (PTG) in nurses after patient death during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To assess the role and necessity of grief support in the context of pandemic-related bereavement among nurses.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was administered to 211 nurses at Ulsan University Hospital who experienced patient death during the pandemic.
• Validated scales measured post-traumatic growth (PTGI), stress/anxiety (SAVE-9), depression (PHQ-9), pandemic grief (PGS), grief rumination (UGRS), and grief support (GSHCS).
• Statistical analyses included Pearson's correlation, linear regression, and mediation analysis.

Main Results:

• PTG scores significantly correlated with stress/anxiety (SAVE-9), depression (PHQ-9), pandemic grief (PGS), grief rumination (UGRS), and grief support (GSHCS).
• Linear regression identified SAVE-9, UGRS, and GSHCS as significant predictors of PTGI scores.
• Mediation analysis confirmed that stress/anxiety and grief rumination directly impacted PTG, with grief support acting as a significant mediator.

Conclusions:

• Increased anxiety, stress, and grief rumination during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with higher levels of post-traumatic growth in nurses.
• Grief support plays a crucial mediating role in the process of PTG.
• Providing comprehensive support from family, colleagues, and associates is essential for nurses to achieve meaningful personal and professional growth following bereavement.