Perceptions of supportive nursing behaviors by terminally ill patients and hospice nurses

A descriptive survey was used to assess differences in perceptions of supportive nursing behaviors by terminally ill patients and hospice nurses. A sample of 20 adult patients and 12 nurses completed the investigator-designed Supportive Nursing Behaviors Scale (SNBS; $\alpha$ =.92) and demographic data form. Data were collected in the patients' homes or hospice inpatient unit over 8 months by the nurse investigator who administered the instruments. Analysis of the two groups on the perceptions of supportive nursing behaviors using a Mann-Whitney U yielded a U = 70 (p =.053). Although not statistically significant, there was a difference in the mean ranks of the scores of patients and nurses. Patients scored the items higher than did the nurses which indicated that patients perceived supportive nursing behaviors as more important than did the nurses. There were no significant differences in scores on the SNBS for patients grouped according to gender, religious preference, diagnostic category, current residence, and length of illness. Race was not analyzed in relation to supportive nursing behaviors because of the homogeneity of the sample. Patient age was significantly related to the score on SNBS (r =.468; r$\backslash sp2$ =.219; p =.01). The older the patient, the more important supportive nursing behaviors became. The comparisons of nurses' scores on the SNBS grouped by religious preference, hospice inpatient and home setting, and the relationship of age to SNBS scores were not significant. Gender and race were not analyzed in relation to supportive nursing behaviors because of homogeneity of the sample. The nurses' length of employment in the hospice was significantly related to the score on the SNBS (r =.608, $r\backslash sp2$ =.396; p =.01). The longer a nurse was employed in the hospice setting, the more important supportive nursing behaviors became.