The Concept of a Good Death from the Perspectives of Nurses Caring for Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19 in Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

We have witnessed increasing numbers of cases of COVID-19 and associated deaths worldwide. Therefore, the purpose of this descriptive and cross-sectional study was to determine the perception of a good death and the factors contributing to it by nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the intensive care unit (ICU). It was carried out with nurses caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the ICU (n = 369). Data were collected using a questionnaire and the Good Death Scale. The mean score of the participants scale was 56.84 +/- 7.51. In this study, nurses have seen as important statements that include "ensuring a peaceful death", "being with their loved ones", "meeting a person's spiritual needs", and "having an opportunity to say goodbye" for the good death. The factors contributing to the perception of a good death were gender, marital status, and feeling sad when caring for a dying patient (p < .05).