Abstract

Aim.This paper introduces important points on nursing care of dying patients.

Background.Death is part of the human life process. Statistics show that the most common causes of death in America are cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Definition of death, nursing care for dying patients and its importance have been the focus of many studies.

Method.This paper reviews the subject death and dying patients, and introduces nursing care and ethical points to be considered for these patients.

Findings.Dying patients experience different stages from denial to acceptance, and caring these patients in physical and psychological aspects is the responsibility of nurses.

Conclusion.When caring dying patients, palliative care must be considered, because other interventions are no longer effective. This care begins from the time a life-threatening condition is diagnosed and continues to recovery or death and grieving.

Aim. This study was conducted to examine the effect of nursing ethics workshop on patients rights practiced by nurses in the emergency department.

Background. According to the goals of 20 years vision and development plans of Iran, moving toward improving the quality and safety of patients and their rights are of the main priorities of health care system approved by national and international experts and authorities.

Method. This study is quasi-experimental study with control group. To measure dependent variable (patient’s right practice by nurses), before and after intervention, perspectives of 180 patients admitted to emergency department were selected by convenience sampling. Intervention was implemented for emergency department nurses. All emergency department staff nurses working in a governmental hospital in the City Shahriar, Iran, were selected. The data were collected through a questionnaire composed of 2 parts, demographic information and 15 questions designed based on patients rights protocol in 5 domains with Likert scale. In order to ensure reliability, Cronbach’s Alpha was calculated for internal consistency coefficient through interviews with 20 patients (α=0.84). Validity of the questionnaire was evaluated by 10 experts. The questionnaire were completed before and one month after intervention through interviewing with patients admitted to the emergency department during the data collection time period. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 22.

Findings. Before intervention, the mean score of patient’s right practice was 58.83±16.81 and after intervention, the mean score of patient’s right practice increased to 84±8.12. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean total score of patient’s rights practice based on patients perspectives, before and after intervention (p˂0.0001). The lowest score for patient’s rights practice was reported for the domain information giving (15%) and the highest score was reported for the domain respect for privacy (82.7%).

Conclusions. The intervention (nursing ethics workshop) has a positive effect on patient’s rights practice by nurses in the emergency department.