End of life in an Icelandic nursing home: an ethnographic study

Abstract

To examine care of the dying elderly in a nursing home in Iceland. An ethnographic study design was adopted. The study sample comprised all of the nursing home residents, their relatives, and all of the staff working in the nursing home, but with a particular focus on the 11 registered nurses (RNs) on the site. Data was collected through participant observation, semi-structured group interviews with the RNs, and an examination of the nursing home's official records. Underlying themes were discovered using interpretative phenomenology. Two main themes emerged: that palliative care is the most important element of care in the home, and that RNs are the pillars of caring for the dying elderly in the nursing home. The findings suggest that RNs' professional knowledge can greatly contribute to the care of dying elderly residents in nursing homes. There seem to be many parallels between the condition and wellbeing of very frail nursing home residents and patients in specialized palliative care units for the elderly. Public awareness of palliative care of the elderly in Icelandic nursing homes should be encouraged.