Jurnal NERS
Vol. 21 No. 3 (2026): VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 (AUGUST 2026)

Nurses’ experiences of providing palliative care in the intensive care unit: A qualitative study

Tintin Sukartini (Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia)
Yulis Setiya Dewi (Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia)
Herdina Mariyanti (Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia)
Virmala Ramoo (School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing and Education, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Malaysia)
Kanchana Gudari (Apollo College of Nursing, The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai, India)
Muhammad Fikri Alfaruq (Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia)
Adinda Nurul Hamidah (Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia)
Yumna Raihanatu (Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
31 Aug 2026

Abstract

Introduction: Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses play a central role in palliative care. However, there is a lack of qualitative evidence about the experiences of nurses providing palliative care in the ICU, especially in developing healthcare systems such as Indonesia. This study aimed to qualitatively explore the experiences of nurses providing palliative care in the ICU. Methods: This study used a qualitative research design. Nurses who worked in the ICU were selected using a purposive sampling method, and the inclusion criterion was that they had worked for more than one year in the ICU. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 ICU nurses about their experiences, and the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which generated six main themes that reflected the experiences of palliative care by ICU nurses. The themes were further categorized into operational categories such as hospital support for palliative care practice, expectation for future palliative care practices, work satisfaction, family involvement in palliative care, palliative care practice in the ICU, and challenges in palliative care practice. This study also presents a conceptual tree model that summarizes the findings. Conclusions: This study highlights the need for more institutional support, better training, and structured protocols for the better implementation of palliative care in the ICU. Addressing these factors may facilitate improved patient-centered care and assist nurses and families involved in the palliative care process.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

JNERS

Publisher

Subject

Nursing

Description

The scope of this journal includes studies that intend to examine and understand nursing health care interventions and health policies which utilize advanced nursing research. The journal also committed to improve the high quality research by publishing analytic techniques, measures, and research ...