Barriers to intensive care unit nurses providing terminal care: an integrated literature review.
Traditional goals of critical care center on curative interventions for patients with acute illness. However, death is a common occurrence in critical care, which means a shift from curative care to comfort care. For a number of reasons, the transition in care is often not a smooth one. An integrated literature review was completed on 22 studies related to provision of terminal care. These 13 quantitative studies along with 9 qualitative studies identified specific barriers to effective terminal care provision including (a) lack of involvement in the plan of care and comfort, (b) disagreement among physicians and other healthcare team members, (c) inadequacy of pain relief, (d) unrealistic expectations of families, (e) nurses' difficulty coping, (f) lack of experience and education, (g) staffing levels, and (h) environmental circumstances. Recommendations address strategies to improve terminal care and suggest future research needed.
Espinosa
Laura
L
The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. dreamphd@swbell.net
Young
Anne
A
Walsh
Teresa
T
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration