The Effect of Nurses’ Compassion Competence on Performance of Terminal Care in Geriatric Hospitals

Abstract

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the levels of nurses’ compassion competence and terminal care and the factors associated with their performance of terminal care in geriatric hospitals. Methods This study design was a cross-sectional survey. The participants in the study were 186 nurses working at 7 geriatric hospitals. Data were collected, using structured questionnaires, from 10th to 21st of September, 2018. The collected data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis with SPSS/WIN 24.0. Results There was a significant positive correlation between terminal care performance and compassion competence (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the significant factors affecting the performance of terminal care were age, 3-shifts, and religion in model 1 and these factors explained 17% of variance. In model 2, communication and insight among subtypes of compassion competence were significant predictors and explained 49% of the variance in terminal care performance by nurses. Conclusions The findings from this study suggest that nurses’ compassion competence is the most important factor for improving terminal care performance which needs to be enhanced by education program. Key words: Compassion competence, Nurses, Terminal care