Professional Bereavement in Nursing: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis

J Adv Nurs. 2024 Oct 19. doi: 10.1111/jan.16545. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Aims: Clarify and define the concept of professional bereavement in nursing.

Design: Rodgers' evolutionary method was used to identify the attributes, antecedents, and consequences of professional bereavement in nursing.

Data sources: Literature from inception to May 20, 2024, was searched from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Medline, EBSCO host, Proquest, Ovid, and Cochrane.

Reporting methods: The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were adopted.

Results: The 32 articles included in the study provided data on the concept of professional bereavement in nursing. We propose the concept of professional bereavement in nursing as follows: Professional bereavement in nursing is the experience of a patient or colleague's death in the workplace, influenced by contextual, internal, and external factors. Nurses perceive personal and professional losses, exhibit a multidimensional liminal state, and experience personal impacts (life and worldview) and professional impacts (health-related productivity and professional ability).

Conclusions: We developed a preliminary conceptual model of professional bereavement in nursing based on its attributes, antecedents, and consequences. This conceptual model promotes the development of theories related to professional bereavement.

Impact: This is the first article to clarify and define professional bereavement in nursing. We have clarified the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of professional bereavement, which provides a conceptual framework for understanding professional bereavement. The conceptual framework guides the content of interventions and suggests future professional bereavement interventions from a dialectical perspective.

Patient or public contribution: Not applicable.

Keywords: concept analysis; death; nursing; professional bereavement.

Publication types

  • Review