Nursing students’ experiences of caring for dying patients and their families: a systematic review and meta-synthesis

Abstract

Objective Nurses play important roles in caring for dying patients and their families. Difficulties students confronted when facing dying patients challenge the quality of nursing education. A better understanding of students’ experiences would enhance teachers’ ability in helping students. This study aims to describe available evidence about nursing students’ experiences when caring for dying patients and their families. Methods A review of qualitative studies published between 2005 and 2017 was undertaken using the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, ProQuest Central, ScienceDirect, and CNKI. The keywords included were nursing students, experience, care, end-of-life, and dying. Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument was used to assess the quality of the studies by two independent reviewers. The data from the studies were analyzed by meta-synthesis. Results Eighteen English and two Chinese studies were selected in this review. Four themes were emerged: (1) Students with dying patients: students did not have enough ability in symptoms control, comfort supply, and therapeutic communication for dying patients. (2) Students with the patients’ families: students advocated more caring for patients’ families. (3) Students with the surroundings: professional medical staffs, especially the nursing preceptors, were key roles in constructing a supporting system for students. (4) Students with themselves: nursing students underwent various negative feelings and adopted both negative and positive strategies to cope with such feelings; students experienced professional and personal development during the caring for dying patients. Conclusions Nursing students’ abilities in terminal symptom control, comfort supply, and therapeutic communication should be improved by more theoretic learning and simulation practice. The nursing preceptors were key roles in constructing a supporting system for students and helping them to control the negative emotions when facing dying patients.

Nursing students’ attitudes towards death and caring for dying patients

“…Nursing students understand that the families of dying patients need support. A meta-analysis review of qualitative studies describing nursing students' experiences when caring for dying patients and their families found that nursing students advocated for more caring for patients' families (Wang, 2019).…”

A Longitudinal Cohort Study Investigating Inadequate Preparation and Death and Dying in Nursing Students: Implications for the Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The emotional issues resulting from the death and suffering of patients are important stressors for nurses ( Lambert et al, 2004 ; Burnard et al, 2008 ). Wang (2019) conducted a systematic review of qualitative studies investigating nursing students’ experiences when caring for dying patients. The review found that students can experience a wide range of negative emotions including helplessness, feelings of incompetence, guilt, self-doubt, fear, and anxiety.…”

Atitudes dos estudantes de enfermagem perante a morte e os cuidados em fim de vida

“…Thus, supervisors and nurse tutors should also feel comfortable and prepared to approach the students and reflect on the topic together (Oliveira et al, 2016). The opportunity to share the experience with others, the guidance of a teacher or a nurse tutor with more experience in this field who can provide emotional and practical support, and the sharing of responsibilities in decision-making about end-of-life care can reduce the fear of inadequacy (Wang, 2019). One of the limitations of this study is that it only describes the reality of a higher health education institution, so it would be important to conduct it in other institutions to understand which factors can interfere with nursing students' attitudes towards death and end-of-life care.…”

“…However, people are not naturally predisposed to care for someone at the end of their life, and the attitudes towards death and end-of-life care are psychological behaviors learned through social and cultural experiences (Frommelt, 1991). Considering that attitudes can be defined as a system of beliefs and knowledge that everyone has acquired or learned throughout their lives, future nurses' attitudes towards death and end-of-life care can have an important influence on the quality of the care they provide (Wang, 2019). Future professionals need to be more prepared to recognize the need and adequacy of end-of-life care.…”