Death, dying and caring: exploring the student nurse experience of palliative and end-of-life education

Abstract

Undergraduate education and training are fundamental in preparing student nurses for working in palliative and end-of-life care.This article explores the experiences of student nurses in their palliative and end-of-life undergraduate nurse education.Sandelowski and Barroso's (2007) framework for undertaking a metasynthesis was used. Initial database searches returned 60 articles of interest. Re-reading the articles in the context of the research question identified 10 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Four key themes emerged.Student nurses voiced concerns regarding their feelings of unpreparedness, and lack of confidence and knowledge when dealing with the complexities of palliative and end-of-life care. Student nurses called for more training and education in palliative and end-of-life care.Flexible nursing curricula responsive to the needs of student nurses and the changing landscape of healthcare provision, including care to ensure a good death experience, should be prioritised at undergraduate level.