Understanding the Challenges of Hospice Nursing

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to gain understanding of the challenges of hospice nursing related to dying individuals, their families and the professional environment of a hospice facility. Six hospice nurses participated in a 30-60 minute interview exploring the challenges of hospice nursing. Interviews took place at the place of employment in a private setting. Classic Grounded theory was used to code, collect, and analyze the data. Theoretical memoing was used during all process of research to record relationships between concepts and categories. Hospice nurses cope with daily work stressors by finding a balance between work and their personal life. The core category “finding a balance” had six subcategories: managing time, facing the challenge of working with families, letting go, taking care of yourself, falling back on your team, and setting boundaries. These findings suggest that hospice nurses learn to identify their stressors and maintain personal health and balance by relying on their team and setting boundaries between themselves and their clients. Nurses were able to take necessary actions to promote their own wellness.