INTENSIVE CARE AND ONCOLOGY NURSES' PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES WITH 'FUTILE MEDICAL CARE' AND 'PRINCIPLES OF GOOD DEATH'

Introduction: This study aimed to determine nurses' perceptions and experiences with 'futile medical care' and their opinions about 'principles of good death'. Materials and Method: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 state hospitals and 3 university hospitals in Ankara, Turkey. It included 856 nurses working in intensive care and oncology units. A questionnaire, which included demographics and futile medical care practices and the 'Attitudes toward Principles about Dying with Dignity Scale' were used. Results: Participants were on average 30.49 +/- 6.12 years old 92.3% were women, 61.7% were married and 62.7% had a bachelor's degree. Nurses defined medical care as futile when it was 'not affecting quality of life' (35.4%), 'not curing the disease' (46.8%) and 'prolonging the suffering of the patient' (42.9%). They stated that futile care was continued because of hospital policy (32.9%), doctor's decision (54.9%) or patient's or relative's decision (29.3%). Three of every four nurses stated that good death principles were not applied at their hospital. We found that attitudes toward death improved as nurses' education level increased (p=.001), and women had higher scale scores than men (p<.001). Conclusion: Nurses were generally not satisfied with end-of-life care. Extending life, while ignoring the quality thereof, remains a major ethical dilemma for health professionals.