The experience of nurses when providing care across acts that may be perceived as death hastening: A qualitative evidence synthesis

Palliat Med. 2025 Apr 29:2692163251331162. doi: 10.1177/02692163251331162. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Nurses can be involved in interventions that they perceive as hastening death. These interventions may intentionally cause death, as in the case of assisted dying or result in death as an unintended consequence, such as when life-sustaining treatment is withdrawn. There is increasing evidence regarding nurses’ experiences of providing care in these separate contexts. However, it remains less clear whether parallels exist in experiences across various acts that nurses might consider death hastening.

AIM: To synthesise qualitative research findings on the lived experiences of nurses when involved with acts that may be perceived as death hastening.

DESIGN: A qualitative evidence synthesis utilising thematic synthesis.

DATA SOURCES: An initial search of CINHAL, PsychInfo and Medline was undertaken in December 2022 and updated in August 2024. Papers were quality assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research.

RESULTS: Twenty-three papers were included in the review. An overarching theme linked to the emotional labour required to provide care was developed. Three sub-themes influence emotional labour: (1) experiencing personal and professional conflicts, (2) the provision of ‘normal(ised)’ care and (3) perceptions of palliative care as a proxy for hastening death.

CONCLUSIONS: This synthesis demonstrates that nurses experience significant emotional labour across acts that may be perceived as death hastening. The level of emotional labour is influenced by nurses’ uncertainty of the ethical and moral status of these interventions and navigating these uncertainties alongside colleagues, patients and those important to them during care delivery.

PMID:40302220 | DOI:10.1177/02692163251331162