Nurses Caring for Patients at the End of Life in Intensive Care Unit : A Literature Review

Abstract

This article explored nurses caring for patients at the end of life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A literature review was conducted by analyzing 56 scholar papers including research articles, thesis/dissertation, and books which met the inclusion criteria. Data were searched through PubMed, ProQuest, Wiley Online Library and Science Direct. Searches used combination of following keywords: ‘ICU nurse’, combined with ‘caring’, ‘end of life’, ‘end of life care’. The result of the analysis presented the need of the patients and their families at the end of life, the nurses’ goals of caring at the end of life, the nurses’ role, problems and barriers in caring at the end of life in the ICU. Culture and religion have an influence in caring for patients at the end of life. The knowledge from this literature review can be guided the nurses to develop an effective caring model at the end of life in the ICU.