Personality Traits Linked to Hospital Nurses' Attitudes Toward End-of-Life Care

A cross-sectional secondary analysis published in Nature Health Sciences has explored how individual personality traits influence the perspectives of hospital nurses toward end-of-life care. Conducted by researchers affiliated with institutions in Cádiz, Spain, including Puerta del Mar University Hospital and INiBICA, the study evaluated 297 registered nurses who routinely care for dying patients outside of specialized palliative care units. Investigators utilized the NEO Five-Factor Inventory to measure personality dimensions and the Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying Scale to assess care perspectives.

The findings indicate that higher scores in Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness were linked to more favorable attitudes toward caring for terminally ill patients in an adjusted multivariable model. Conversely, nurses working in Critical Care environments demonstrated lower adjusted scores on the care scale compared to those in General Emergency departments. Because this study utilized a cross-sectional design involving a single center, it points toward associations rather than establishing direct cause-and-effect relationships or individual-level prediction.

What to know: While professional experience and education heavily shape medical care, individual psychological dimensions may also play a role in how healthcare professionals approach terminal care. Readers should consult qualified medical professionals for personal health decisions, as this research focuses strictly on nursing staff perspectives.