Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation - Rapid Presentation Round
Abstract
Background: Navigating end-of-life (EOL) care as a nursing student can results in intense emotions such as grief and despair and there is limited research on undergraduate nursing students’ thoughts and experiences on the need for emotional support resources when caring for patients and families at the EOL.
Purpose: To explore undergraduate nursing students’ experiences and their perceived need for integrating emotional and psychological support services while caring for dying populations.
Theoretical Framework: The Nerstrom Transformative Learning Model was used to guide this research which identifies how adult learners interact in their environment with a limited worldview that is shaped by their experiences and personal attitudes.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive design study was used to interview third- and fourth-year nursing students enrolled in a four-year Bachelor of Science in nursing program from a large, university located in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Purposive sampling techniques were used to recruit participants. Demographic data was collected via Qualtrics, and interviews were held via face-to-face (n=4) and Zoom (n=9). Data were transcribed verbatim, de-identified, and analyzed for themes.
Preliminary Results: Preliminary results (n=13) show that most participants identify as Caucasian females, and range in ages 19-51. Most participants (n=9) work in the healthcare setting and have cared for a dying patient before. Preliminary results show that providing care to dying patients and their families is emotionally impactful to students and often fosters realizations about their own death and mortality. Students discuss many of their personal experiences around death, influence the care they provide to patients and families. Students describe several challenges while providing EOL care such as learning how to regulate their emotions at the bedside and leading EOL care conversations with patients and families.
Students wish to discuss their EOL care experiences and emotions after caring for dying patients; however, students describe having limited discussions with faculty or their clinical preceptors about the care they have seen or provided. Students identified educational and psychological resources they hope to see implemented in nursing education such as mandatory courses, exposure to EOL simulations and clinical experiences, peer support groups, and a designated nursing faculty trained to help students process death and dying experiences.
Conclusion & Implications: While many students feel that it “takes a special person” to care for patients and families at the EOL, death and dying occurs in all specialties of nursing. It is important for nurse educators to increase exposure to EOL care education and integrate supportive resources for students caring for dying patients to help develop students’ resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness when providing EOL care.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Beta Sigma
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Descriptive/Correlational
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Terminal Care -- Psychosocial Factors, Undergraduate Nursing Students, End-of-Life Care, Nursing Students -- Psychosocial Factors
Recommended Citation
Kowalchik, Kalei H., "“It takes a special person” --Exploring Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Emotional Needs while Providing End-of-Life Care" (2026). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 23.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2024/presentations_2024/23
Conference Name
Creating Healthy Work Environments
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Washington, DC, USA
Conference Year
2024
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-02-16
Funder(s)
Pennsylvania Higher Education Nursing Schools Association
“It takes a special person” --Exploring Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Emotional Needs while Providing End-of-Life Care
Washington, DC, USA
Background: Navigating end-of-life (EOL) care as a nursing student can results in intense emotions such as grief and despair and there is limited research on undergraduate nursing students’ thoughts and experiences on the need for emotional support resources when caring for patients and families at the EOL.
Purpose: To explore undergraduate nursing students’ experiences and their perceived need for integrating emotional and psychological support services while caring for dying populations.
Theoretical Framework: The Nerstrom Transformative Learning Model was used to guide this research which identifies how adult learners interact in their environment with a limited worldview that is shaped by their experiences and personal attitudes.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive design study was used to interview third- and fourth-year nursing students enrolled in a four-year Bachelor of Science in nursing program from a large, university located in the Mid-Atlantic United States. Purposive sampling techniques were used to recruit participants. Demographic data was collected via Qualtrics, and interviews were held via face-to-face (n=4) and Zoom (n=9). Data were transcribed verbatim, de-identified, and analyzed for themes.
Preliminary Results: Preliminary results (n=13) show that most participants identify as Caucasian females, and range in ages 19-51. Most participants (n=9) work in the healthcare setting and have cared for a dying patient before. Preliminary results show that providing care to dying patients and their families is emotionally impactful to students and often fosters realizations about their own death and mortality. Students discuss many of their personal experiences around death, influence the care they provide to patients and families. Students describe several challenges while providing EOL care such as learning how to regulate their emotions at the bedside and leading EOL care conversations with patients and families.
Students wish to discuss their EOL care experiences and emotions after caring for dying patients; however, students describe having limited discussions with faculty or their clinical preceptors about the care they have seen or provided. Students identified educational and psychological resources they hope to see implemented in nursing education such as mandatory courses, exposure to EOL simulations and clinical experiences, peer support groups, and a designated nursing faculty trained to help students process death and dying experiences.
Conclusion & Implications: While many students feel that it “takes a special person” to care for patients and families at the EOL, death and dying occurs in all specialties of nursing. It is important for nurse educators to increase exposure to EOL care education and integrate supportive resources for students caring for dying patients to help develop students’ resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness when providing EOL care.
Description
Navigating and providing end-of-life care as a nursing student can results in intense emotions during the care trajectory. Qualitative interviews of nursing students' inform researchers on their end-of-life care experiences, reformation of undergraduate curriculum, and student accessibility and improvement to mental health resources.