The “Will to Live” as Perceived by Nurses and Physicians

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Abstract
This study investigated the "will to live" as nurses and physicians perceive it. A sample of 221 practicing health professionals completed a questionnaire that was designed to measure this construct. Semantic differential scales were used to assess the psychological characteristics of patients with a strong and weak will to live, while Likert scales were used to rate overt behaviors associated with a strong will to live. The respondents were also asked to rate activities that might be used to strengthen the will to live in patients who lacked it. Results showed that almost 100% of the respondents believed in a will to live, had observed its effects, and felt that a strong will to live was an important factor in patient recovery. Both nurses and physicians showed surprising agreement in their perception of the will to live, as well as in their suggestions about how to strengthen patient morale. The results are generally consistent with those from related studies on psychological variables associated with cancer survival and recovery from catastrophic illness. It is concluded that regardless of whether a will to live is a "real" attribute of patients, it certainly seems to exist in the eyes of those who treat them.