title: A comparison of the nurse work environment between perinatal and non-perinatal hospice providers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hospice nurses have a unique role in providing perinatal care, yet little is known about the work environment in which nurses provide care for families and infants at the end of life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the nurse work environment between perinatal and non-perinatal hospices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 2007 US National Home and Hospice Care Survey was used. The sample included 526 US hospice agencies. Comparisons were calculated using the Pearson chi-square and Wald tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A majority of hospices provided perinatal care (60%). Compared with non-perinatal hospices, the perinatal nurse work environment had a significantly higher proportion of registered nurses (mean 0.87 vs mean 0.79), along with clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners to support them (95.6% vs 84.9%). Nurses within perinatal care providers worked in a climate of significantly greater safety (95.6% vs 84.9%) and technology (63.7% vs 47.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding the unique perinatal hospice nurse work environment may be essential for advancing knowledge and compassion for mothers and babies at the end of life.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Lindley
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fornehed
authors.forename: Sandra J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mixer
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000451:nursing*; D006738:Hospices; D006801:Humans; D009740:Nursing Staff; D010166:Palliative Care; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace