Sjuksköterskestudenters möte med döende patienter : en litteraturöversikt

Sammanfattning

Background Nursing students are expected to participate in the care of patients with incurable illnesses where symptom relief, teamwork, communication and family support will contribute to quality of life. Palliative care can be experienced as challenging and emotionally demanding. Aim To describe the state of knowledge about nursing students' experiences in meeting patients in the final stages of life within palliative care. Method The thesis was constructed as a structured literature review using CINAHL and PubMed. A total of 16 qualitative or mixed method studies were included and analyzed according to Graneheim and Lundman. Results Four main categories were identified: Perspectives on death, Emotional and physical reactions, Communication and relationship, Competence, preparation and support. Caring for dying patients is experienced as honorable yet emotionally demanding. A gap between theory and clinical practice was found, with learning best achived in clinical settings with adequat support. Conclusions Encounter with dying patients are emotionally challenging and students feel unprepared. Theoretical and practical preparation should be developed to strengthen nursing students' safety, well-being and experience of end-of-life care.