A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF DEATH ANXIETY IN HOSPICE AND EMERGENCY NURSES

This paper describes a preliminary cross-sectional study which aimed t o compare levels of death anxiety and coping responses in palliative c are and accident and emergency (A & E) nurses. Forty-three nurses (23 from palliative care and 20 from A & E) were recruited from a district general hospital and nearby hospice. Both sites had the same mean ann ual death rate of 150 patients. Death anxiety was measured by the Deat h Attitude Profile-Revised Questionnaire and coping responses were eli cited by a semi-structured interview. As hypothesized, hospice nurses had lower death anxiety and they were moro likely to recall both good and difficult experiences related to patient care, Unlike the hospice nurses, a subgroup (20%) of A & E nurses reported that they were unabl e to discuss problems with colleagues, The study has implications for the development of institutional support for staff to enable nurses to provide good quality care for dying patients and bereaved people.