Professional Bereavement in Nursing: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis

Abstract

AimsClarify and define the concept of professional bereavement in nursing.DesignRodgers' evolutionary method was used to identify the attributes, antecedents, and consequences of professional bereavement in nursing.Data SourcesLiterature from inception to May 20, 2024, was searched from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, Medline, EBSCO host, Proquest, Ovid, and Cochrane.Reporting MethodsThe preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were adopted.ResultsThe 32 articles included in the study provided data on the concept of professional bereavement in nursing. We propose the concept of professional bereavement in nursing as follows: Professional bereavement in nursing is the experience of a patient or colleague's death in the workplace, influenced by contextual, internal, and external factors. Nurses perceive personal and professional losses, exhibit a multidimensional liminal state, and experience personal impacts (life and worldview) and professional impacts (health‐related productivity and professional ability).ConclusionsWe developed a preliminary conceptual model of professional bereavement in nursing based on its attributes, antecedents, and consequences. This conceptual model promotes the development of theories related to professional bereavement.ImpactThis is the first article to clarify and define professional bereavement in nursing. We have clarified the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of professional bereavement, which provides a conceptual framework for understanding professional bereavement. The conceptual framework guides the content of interventions and suggests future professional bereavement interventions from a dialectical perspective.Patient or Public ContributionNot applicable.