The mediating effects of attitude toward death and meaning of life on the relationship between perception of death and coping with death competence among Chinese nurses: a cross-sectional study

Background It is important to understand how the perception of death affects the competence to cope with death. Objectives To explore whether the perception of death has an indirect effect on competence to cope with death through the mediation of attitude toward death and meaning of life. Methods A total of 786 nurses from Hunan Province, China, selected by random sampling method and asked to complete an online electronic questionnaire between October and November 2021 were included in the study. Results The nurses’ scored 125.39 ± 23.88 on the competence to cope with death. There was a positive correlation among perception of death, competence to cope with death, the meaning of life, and attitude toward death. There were three mediating pathways: the separate mediating effect of natural acceptance and meaning of life, and the chain mediating effect of natural acceptance and meaning of life. Conclusion The nurses’ competence to cope with death was moderate. Perception of death could indirectly and positively predict nurses’ competence to cope with death by enhancing natural acceptance or sense of meaning in life. In addition, perception of death could improve natural acceptance and then enhance the sense of meaning in life to positively predict nurses’ competence to cope with death.