Moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Palliative care is becoming more widely acknowledged as a crucial part of intensive care for all patients with life-threatening illnesses. Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses regard as a lead role to facilitate this integration, which require nurses to possess professional and compr...

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Main Authors: Mengyun Peng, Qin Guan, Xiaoling Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:BMC Palliative Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01655-z
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author Mengyun Peng
Qin Guan
Xiaoling Zhu
author_facet Mengyun Peng
Qin Guan
Xiaoling Zhu
author_sort Mengyun Peng
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Palliative care is becoming more widely acknowledged as a crucial part of intensive care for all patients with life-threatening illnesses. Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses regard as a lead role to facilitate this integration, which require nurses to possess professional and comprehensive core competencies. However, there is little knowledge about the palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses. Aims To explore the association of moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies of ICU nurses, and explore the mediating role of attitude toward death. Methods This is a quantitative, cross-sectional study. Random cluster sampling method was used. 342 ICU nurses were selected from 5 hospitals across 4 provinces in China. Participants were evaluated using the Moral Distress Scale-revised (MDS-R), the Attitude toward Death Profile-Revised (DAP-R), and the Palliative Care Nurses’ Core Competencies Scale (PCNCC). This study followed the STROBE statement. Results The level of palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses is moderate. Moral distress and negative attitude toward death are negatively associated while positive attitude toward death is positively associated with core competencies in palliative care among ICU nurses. Attitude toward death partially mediates the relationship between moral distress and core competencies. Conclusion Link between moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses was found in this study.
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spelling doaj-art-bce10403794649a0b764f2622bb678282025-01-19T12:43:12ZengBMCBMC Palliative Care1472-684X2025-01-012411910.1186/s12904-025-01655-zMoral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses: a cross-sectional studyMengyun Peng0Qin Guan1Xiaoling Zhu2School of Nursing, Suzhou Medical College, Soochow UniversityFaculty of Nursing, Dali UniversityDepartment of Nursing, First Affiliated Hospital of Dali UniversityAbstract Background Palliative care is becoming more widely acknowledged as a crucial part of intensive care for all patients with life-threatening illnesses. Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses regard as a lead role to facilitate this integration, which require nurses to possess professional and comprehensive core competencies. However, there is little knowledge about the palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses. Aims To explore the association of moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies of ICU nurses, and explore the mediating role of attitude toward death. Methods This is a quantitative, cross-sectional study. Random cluster sampling method was used. 342 ICU nurses were selected from 5 hospitals across 4 provinces in China. Participants were evaluated using the Moral Distress Scale-revised (MDS-R), the Attitude toward Death Profile-Revised (DAP-R), and the Palliative Care Nurses’ Core Competencies Scale (PCNCC). This study followed the STROBE statement. Results The level of palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses is moderate. Moral distress and negative attitude toward death are negatively associated while positive attitude toward death is positively associated with core competencies in palliative care among ICU nurses. Attitude toward death partially mediates the relationship between moral distress and core competencies. Conclusion Link between moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses was found in this study.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01655-zMoral distressAttitude toward deathPalliative care core competenciesIntensive care unitNurses
spellingShingle Mengyun Peng
Qin Guan
Xiaoling Zhu
Moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses: a cross-sectional study
BMC Palliative Care
Moral distress
Attitude toward death
Palliative care core competencies
Intensive care unit
Nurses
title Moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses: a cross-sectional study
title_full Moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses: a cross-sectional study
title_short Moral distress, attitude toward death, and palliative care core competencies among ICU nurses: a cross-sectional study
title_sort moral distress attitude toward death and palliative care core competencies among icu nurses a cross sectional study
topic Moral distress
Attitude toward death
Palliative care core competencies
Intensive care unit
Nurses
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-025-01655-z
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