Current Status and Improvement of Postmortem Care by Visiting Nurses

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20758
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Clinical nursing
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Yokoyama Ikumi 福島県立医科大学, 看護学部, 助教 (40736724)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 終末期看護 / 在宅看護 / 死後の処置

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify the current status of postmortem procedures and care at home by visiting nurses. A questionnaire survey was conducted among visiting nurses working at 135 home nursing facilities in Fukushima Prefecture. Responses were obtained from 208 respondents. About 70% of the visiting nurses responded that they stuffed the body cavity with cotton as a postmortem treatment. About 50% of the home care nurses answered that they would fix the jaw with a rubber band. About 40% of the home care nurses responded that they use a rubber band to fix the hands, indicating that treatment methods without evidence are still being used.

Free Research Field

終末期看護

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

入院患者の在院日数の削減が進み、在宅医療への移行が進んでいる。本研究の結果は在宅での死後処置の課題を明確化するものであり、死後処置の簡素化や効率化に向けたケアの見直しにつながるものと考えられる。
訪問看護師による死後の処置の実態が明らかとなり、在宅看護における看取りのあり方を検討することによって、残された家族へのグリーフケアを考える機会となり、在宅で患者を看取る際の看護師のケアの質の向上につながると考える。また、在宅看護の質が向上することにより患者とその家族が自宅でも安心して死を迎えることができ、在宅緩和ケアの普及につながると考えられ、今回の研究はその一助となると考える。