Nursing staff's experiences and perspectives on end-of-life care in South Korean long-term care facilities: a...

Dying and death are inevitable occurrences in long-term care facilities where older, frail adults reside. The life satisfaction and well-being of older residents in the final stages of life are influenced by the nursing staff's perspectives on dying and death, their knowledge, and the quality of end-of-life care provided. This study explored the experiences and perspectives of nursing staff in long-term care facilities regarding end-of-life care for older residents.

The study adopted a qualitative design. Overall, 13 certified nurse assistants and 12 certified care workers who have worked in long-term care facilities for three months or more and possess experience in end-of-life care participated in this study. Data were collected from October 8, 2022, to January 18, 2023, through one-on-one in-depth interviews using semi-structured questions. The interview data were analyzed using MAXQDA 22 software (Berlin, Germany), following the procedure of qualitative content analysis.

Three categories were identified in relation to the nursing staff's end-of-life care experiences and perspectives: "lack of personal preparedness," compassionate care for older residents at the end-of-life," and "neglected end-of-life care and the call for systemic improvements."

Insufficient preparation of nursing staff, long-term care facilities, and policies for end-of-life care ultimately undermined the quality of life for older residents during their final years. Therefore, establishing institutional support and legal frameworks is necessary to ensure a dignified end-of-life environment. Developing a systematic and standardized end-of-life care manual should be a key research priority. Additionally, customized end-of-life care education programs should be designed and implemented to address the educational needs of nursing staff and enhance their practical competencies.