Death anxiety in palliative care: validation of the nursing diagnosis

Objective: To identify the prevalence of the NANDA-I nursing diagnosis of death anxiety among family caregivers of palliative patients and to validate the associated defining characteristics. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, exploratory, and descriptive study using Fehring's clinical diagnostic validity model in a sample of 111 family caregivers of palliative patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of the defining characteristics were calculated. Questions formulated to operationalize the defining characteristics were validated by a panel of experts. Results: The prevalence of the diagnosis was 38.7% in the study sample, and 17 defining characteristics were subjected to clinical validation, of which eight emerged from a previous literature review. Of the 17 defining characteristics, nine were classified as primary and eight as secondary. Conclusion: The diagnosis was validated in family caregivers of palliative patients. The clinical validation of new defining characteristics confirmed the need to review these characteristics to ensure their clinical suitability. The prevalence of the diagnosis in the study sample indicates that death anxiety is a relevant phenomenon among family caregivers of palliative patients that professionals should be particularly aware offing order to implement specific interventions to minimize this condition.