The Influence of the Yoruba Culture on the Lived Experiences of Clinical Nurses following Death of Patients: A Qualitative Study from a Developing Country

• Published in: International journal of caring sciences Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 1123 - 1132
• Main Authors: Ishola, Kofoworola Ebunoluwa, Oyediran, Olufemi Oyebanji, Ayandiran, Emmanuel Olufemi, Faremi, Funmilola Adenike
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nicosia Professor Despina Sapountzi - Krepia Publisher of the International Journal of Caring Sciences 01.05.2024
• Subjects: Burnout; Children & youth; Coping; Culture; Developing countries; Ethics; Families & family life; Grief; Interviews; LDCs; Nurses; Nursing care; Patients; Pediatrics; Qualitative research; Religion; Religious beliefs; Sociology; Teaching hospitals; Nigeria
• ISSN: 1791-5201

Background: Nursing training focuses more on health promotion and saving lives rather than preparing for the end of life. Although nursing encompasses care at the beginning and end-of-life, nurses are not prepared for end-of-life care and death of patients. Studies have attempted to identify and describe the effects of patients' deaths on nurses, but very few studies have described the experiences of nurses dealing with paediatric death. The study determined το explore the effect of the Yoruba culture on the lived experiences of clinical nurses following death of paediatric patients, and describe the coping strategies adopted by nurses to reduce the effect of the lived experiences in selected hospitals in Ilorin. Method: A hermeneutic qualitative study design was used to describe and give meaning to the experiences of the participants at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, and Children Specialist Hospital, Centre-Igboro, Ilorin, Kwara state. Data was collected using semi-structured in-depth interview guide, and face-to-face interviews were conducted among 21 participants. Content and thematic analysis, and Atlas TI were used to analyse data. Findings: Four themes were identified; cultural and religious beliefs and practices about a child's death, reactions to a child's death, coping strategies learned on their first experience of a child's death, coping techniques adopted by nurses. Culture has a major influence on the nurses' lived experiences and grieving, due to the varying beliefs of the religious and ethnic cultures, nurses feel inadequate in providing comfort to grieving parents. They also feel it is unprofessional to cry or grieve openly following the death of patients. The major coping strategy adopted by nurses is that they are more committed to their work. Linking Evidence to Action: The study found that nurses use work as their most effective coping strategy following the death of paediatric patients. They also strive to provide their best possible care in spite of their reactions to death