Date of Project

4-7-2026

Document Type

Honors Thesis

School Name

Donna and Allan Lansing School of Nursing and Health Sciences

Department

Nursing

Major Advisor

Dr. Elizabeth Cook

Second Advisor

Dr. Gabri Warren

Abstract

Practicing nurses are frequently exposed to patient death, placing them at increased risk for death anxiety and compromised mental health. Despite this, there remains a lack of structured, in-the-moment interventions to support emotional processing within clinical settings. This study evaluates whether the implementation of “The Pause,” a brief moment of silence following a patient’s death, may reduce death anxiety and improve mental health outcomes among practicing nurses. A quantitative survey consisting of eight questions was distributed to nurses in the Louisville, Kentucky area over a three-month period, yielding 26 responses. Findings indicated that 80.8% of participants reported no improvement or a decline in mental health since entering the profession. Among participants familiar with The Pause, the majority perceived it as beneficial, particularly in reducing anxiety and supporting emotional well-being. Additionally, participants without prior knowledge of the intervention expressed favorable perceptions of its potential use. Although limited by a small sample size and reliance on self-reported data, the findings suggest that The Pause may serve as a feasible, cost-effective intervention to promote emotional resilience and mitigate death anxiety. Further research is warranted to support broader clinical implementation.

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