title: To be involved - A qualitative study of nurses' experiences of caring for dying patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe nurses' experiences (>two years) of caring for dying patients in surgical wards.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Palliative care is included in education for nurses. However, the training content varies, and nurse educators need to be committed to the curriculum regarding end-of-life situations. A lack of preparation among newly graduated nurses regarding dying and death could lead to anxiety, stress and burnout. Therefore, it is important to improve knowledge regarding end-of-life situations.
  A qualitative descriptive study was carried out in two surgical wards in the southern part of Sweden. The study comprised six interviews with registered nurses and was analysed using manifest qualitative content analysis, a qualitative method that involves an inductive approach, to increase our understanding of nurses' perspectives and thoughts regarding dying patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results formed one category (caring-to be involved) and three subcategories (being supportive, being frustrated and being sensitive in the caring processes). Nurses were personally affected and felt unprepared to face dying patients due to a lack of knowledge about the field of palliative care. Their experiences could be described as processes of transition from theory to practice by trial and error.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supervision is a valuable tool for bridging the gap between theory and practice in nursing during the transition from novice to expert. Improved knowledge about palliative care during nursing education and committed nursing leadership at the ward level facilitate preparation for end-of-life situations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Norra Älvsborg County Hospital, SE-461 85 Trollhättan, Sweden. Electronic address: erika.k.andersson@vgregion.se.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, SE-41345 Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: Zivile.Salickiene@vgregion.se.
authors.forename: Zivile
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Salickiene
authors.affiliation: Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Health and Care Sciences, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: kristina.rosengren@gu.se.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rosengren
mesh_terms: D004506:Education, Nursing; D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013548:Sweden; D013727:Terminal Care
keywords: Experiences; Nurses; Palliative care; Qualitative method; Supervising