The mediating effect of meaning in life on fear of death and attitudes toward caring for the dying among oncology nurses

Background and objectives Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. Against the backdrop of inadequate life education and a deep-rooted death-avoidant culture in China, oncology nurses faced with multiple challenges in hospice care. The attitude of oncology nurses towards care of the dying is a crucial factor in improving the quality of palliative care. However, few studies have explored the attitude toward care of the dying of oncology nurses and their influencing mechanisms. This study aimed to explore the mediating effect of meaning in life on the fear of death and attitude toward care of the dying among oncology nurses in China. Methods Data were collected from July to August 2024 using Chinese versions of the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale, Form B (FATCOD-B-C), the Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale (CLS), and Purpose in Life Test (CPLT-C). SPSS version 26.0 and AMOS version 24.0 were used for statistical analysis. Findings The mean total attitude score towards care of the dying was 95.52 ± 18.18. The fear of death was positively correlated with the meaning in life (r = 0.442, P < 0.01), and positively correlated with the attitude of hospice care (r = 0.340, P < 0.01). Meaning in life was positively correlated with attitude towards care of the dying (r = 0.474, P < 0.01). Meaning in life partially mediated the relationship between fear of death and attitudes toward care of the dying. The mediating effect (0.297) accounted for 63.19% of the total impact (0.479). Discussion and conclusion The attitude of oncology nurses towards care of the dying is at a moderate level and can be improved through aspects such as education and training, psychological support, clinical practice and management, and the construction of life-and-death culture.