Problem: Caring for the dying can be a particularly emotionally demanding task for nursing care. Training and preparation are paramount to nurses’ survival and success within this area of nursing. If nurses are to serve their patients well, education and an understanding of the emotional needs at the End-of-Life are necessary.
Purpose: One, to identify the experiential basis for End-of-Life decision making skills of student nurses, and to identify the educational needs of student nurses to achieve a competent level of preparation for practice.
Method: A phenomenological study was designed and rich descriptive data pertaining to students’ experiences and perceptions of End-of-Life was obtained from a homogeneous sample of nursing students from a private Southern University . Saturation was achieved and Max Van Manen’s method of line by line coding was used to uncover thematic aspects of the lived experience of student nurses’. A multiple choice, open-ended, and scenario based questionnaire was developed.
Research Findings: First, religious beliefs are used as an experiential basis for decision making. Second, respect for patient autonomy. Third, provision of comfort. And Fourth, the need for information delivery to the patient to insure informed decision making.
Practice Implications: Nurses must be confident and comfortable communicating honestly and openly with patients and their families. Results of this study clearly indicate the need for increased educational opportunities dedicated to the care of the “dying” patient. These results echo statements from Matzo (2002) and Loftus (1998), that a nurses’ sensitivity and preparedness is essential to for patients to achieve a “good” death.
Faculty Advisors: Gracie Wishnia, PhD, MSN, RN C and Pam White, MSN, RN
Session #1223 - Graduate Student Poster Session
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)