Abstract
Background: The evolution of medicine and medical technology in the past centuries has caused a metamorphosis of diseases and increased life expectancy. The change in the disease process has resulted in the advancement of nursing from curative care to end-of-life care. Thus, caring for dying patients in the hospital has become a pronounced trend, and young professional nurses play an important role in managing the patients’ quality of life in their final days. Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe young professional nurses’ attitudes towards caring for the dying patient and their family at a secondary academic hospital in Gauteng, to formulate recommendations for professional nurses when caring for the dying patient and their family. Design: A mixed-method design using an explanatory sequential approach was chosen, which used the quantitative, descriptive, correlation approach followed by the qualitative, phenomenological design. Findings: Analysis revealed that 74% (n=46) of the respondents had a positive attitude towards caring for the dying patient and their family. When reflecting on experiences caring for the dying patient, the young professional nurse was able to appraise their first experience and how it has impacted their current attitude towards caring for the dying patient. They also highlighted how the workplace influenced how they perceived their experiences caring for the dying patient. Conclusions: The young professional nurses in this study had positive attitudes towards caring for the dying patient and their family and believed in the importance of extending nursing care to the family.
M.Cur. (Nursing)