Table 3 ICU nurses’ perceived supportive behaviors to end-of-life care

22.Having the physician meet in person with the family after the patient’s death to offer support and validate that all possible care was done.

3.19

1.38

1

3.35

1.34

2

10.69

11.Providing a peaceful, dignified bedside scene for family members once the patient has died.

3.06

1.44

2

3.36

1.44

1

10.29

15.Having fellow nurses take care of your other patient(s) while you get away from the unit for a few moments after the death of your patient.

2.99

1.43

3

3.16

1.41

5

9.45

19.Having family members accept that the patient is dying.

2.93

1.25

5

3.21

1.26

3

9.42

4.Having the physicians involved in the patient’s care agree about the direction care should go.

2.94

1.34

4

3.14

1.36

7

9.24

12.Allowing family members adequate time to be alone with the patient after he or she has died.

2.90

1.41

7

3.17

1.45

4

9.19

2.Having enough time to prepare the family for the expected death of the patient.

2.90

1.24

7

3.16

1.33

5

9.16

5.Having a unit schedule that allows for continuity of care for the dying patient by the same nurses.

2.91

1.47

6

3.10

1.46

9

9.03

13.Having a fellow nurse tell you that, “You did all you could for that patient,” or some other words of support.

2.87

1.32

9

3.11

1.35

8

8.93

9.Teaching families how to act around the dying patient such as saying to them, “She can still hear...it is OK to talk to her.”

2.79

1.42

10

3.04

1.39

10

8.48

17.Having family members thank you or in some other way show appreciation for your care of the patient who has died.

2.70

1.32

11

3.04

1.34

10

8.21

1.Having one family member be the designated contact person for all other family members regarding patient information.

2.63

1.37

12

2.98

1.46

12

7.82

20.After the patient’s death, having support staff compile all the necessary paper work for you which must be signed by the family before they leave the unit.

2.61

1.45

14

2.98

1.41

12

7.77

7.Having the family physically help care for the dying patient.

2.62

1.44

13

2.94

1.48

14

7.70

23.Having un-licensed personnel available to help care for dying patients.

2.52

1.46

16

2.91

1.47

15

7.32

16.Having a support person outside of the work setting who will listen to you after the death of your patient.

2.53

1.44

15

2.83

1.45

17

7.15

6.The nurse drawing on his/her own previous experience with the critical illness or death of a family member.

2.49

1.34

17

2.81

1.41

18

7.01

3.A unit designed so that the family has a place to go to grieve in private.

2.43

1.44

19

2.87

1.53

16

6.98

21.Physicians who put hope in real tangible terms by saying to the family that, for example, only 1 out of 100 patients in this patient’s condition will completely recover.

2.46

1.36

18

2.73

1.37

19

6.72

14.Having a fellow nurse put his or her arm around you, hug you, pat you on the back or give some other kind of brief physical support after the death of your patient.

2.43

1.37

20

2.73

1.40

19

6.65

10.Allowing families unlimited access to the dying patient even if it conflicts with nursing care at times.

2.33

1.27

21

2.60

1.37

22

6.06

18.Having an ethics committee member routinely attend unit rounds so they are involved from the beginning should an ethical situation with a patient arise later.

2.18

1.48

22

2.63

1.51

21

5.74

8.Talking with the patient about his or her feelings and thoughts about dying.

1.93

1.39

23

2.32

1.52

23

4.46