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The role of the district nurse in bereavement support

The role of the district nurse in bereavement support
The role of the district nurse in bereavement support
Background: District nurses are frequently involved in the care of patients immediately prior to death and could therefore provide support to bereaved relatives. However, little is known about nurses' views on bereavement support or their actual involvement.
Aims of the study: To survey a representative sample of district nurses to ascertain their current practice and perceived role in supporting bereaved people and to identify factors that influence their practice.
Design and method: A self-completed postal questionnaire was distributed anonymously to 522 district nurses in the central southern coastal area of Britain. It comprised five sections: interest in and education about bereavement; a Likert scale to measure nurses' views about bereavement care; information about the practice with which the nurse had links; bereavement care provided by the practice; and demographics.
Results: A 62% response rate was achieved following two reminders. Sixty-nine per cent reported having an interest in bereavement support. Logistic regression modelling identified older age of the nurse and district of employment as the best predictors of interest in bereavement, and older age of the nurse, district of employment and higher level of academic qualification (having a diploma or degree) as the best predictors of active follow-up bereavement visiting. Ninety five percent of district nurses believed their role should involve visiting bereaved relatives/carers of patients they have nursed, but only 19% believed they should visit bereaved people when the deceased was not their patient.
Conclusions: Older age, higher qualifications and district of employment among district nurses were associated with greater interest in bereavement and more proactive care of bereaved people. The findings of this survey have important implications for the training, continued education and the extended role of the nurse in bereavement support.
0309-2402
467-478
Birtwistle, Jon
5d63c92b-ba02-47e2-b0a4-631d4b0190ef
Payne, Sheila
d7c97f41-ec69-4157-9339-ca07c521fbcc
Smith, Peter
68d1515a-f5cc-4b39-ae9c-b923b8c093cd
Kendrick, Tony
c697a72c-c698-469d-8ac2-f00df40583e5
Birtwistle, Jon
5d63c92b-ba02-47e2-b0a4-631d4b0190ef
Payne, Sheila
d7c97f41-ec69-4157-9339-ca07c521fbcc
Smith, Peter
68d1515a-f5cc-4b39-ae9c-b923b8c093cd
Kendrick, Tony
c697a72c-c698-469d-8ac2-f00df40583e5

Birtwistle, Jon, Payne, Sheila, Smith, Peter and Kendrick, Tony (2002) The role of the district nurse in bereavement support. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 38 (5), 467-478. (doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.2002.02208.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: District nurses are frequently involved in the care of patients immediately prior to death and could therefore provide support to bereaved relatives. However, little is known about nurses' views on bereavement support or their actual involvement.
Aims of the study: To survey a representative sample of district nurses to ascertain their current practice and perceived role in supporting bereaved people and to identify factors that influence their practice.
Design and method: A self-completed postal questionnaire was distributed anonymously to 522 district nurses in the central southern coastal area of Britain. It comprised five sections: interest in and education about bereavement; a Likert scale to measure nurses' views about bereavement care; information about the practice with which the nurse had links; bereavement care provided by the practice; and demographics.
Results: A 62% response rate was achieved following two reminders. Sixty-nine per cent reported having an interest in bereavement support. Logistic regression modelling identified older age of the nurse and district of employment as the best predictors of interest in bereavement, and older age of the nurse, district of employment and higher level of academic qualification (having a diploma or degree) as the best predictors of active follow-up bereavement visiting. Ninety five percent of district nurses believed their role should involve visiting bereaved relatives/carers of patients they have nursed, but only 19% believed they should visit bereaved people when the deceased was not their patient.
Conclusions: Older age, higher qualifications and district of employment among district nurses were associated with greater interest in bereavement and more proactive care of bereaved people. The findings of this survey have important implications for the training, continued education and the extended role of the nurse in bereavement support.

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Published date: 2002

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 26220
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/26220
ISSN: 0309-2402
PURE UUID: fc691459-743e-4943-8a51-bfbfd4872d17
ORCID for Tony Kendrick: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1618-9381

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Date deposited: 12 Apr 2006
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:00

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Contributors

Author: Jon Birtwistle
Author: Sheila Payne
Author: Peter Smith
Author: Tony Kendrick ORCID iD

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