Dying at home: hospital as home. Rural nurses' experiences providing end-of-life care

Few studies explore nurses’ experiences providing end-of-life care in the rural hospital setting and the implications of the rural setting on the delivery of care. The purpose of this qualitative study was to begin to address this gap. Two research questions guided this study: (a) What are the experiences of regulated nurses in providing end-of-life care in a rural hospital setting, and (b) How does the rural hospital setting influence regulated nurses’ experiences in providing end of life care? Data were collected by conducting individual interviews with rural nurses. Thematic analysis resulted in three themes: (a) end-of-life care as a relational matter, (b) an intimate affair, and (c) dying at home: hospital as home. Providing a description of how home is defined in the rural setting can inform how practical, human and professional resources are allocated and implemented for rural nurses and the communities that they provide care for.