Event Title
Reducing Death Anxiety in the Student Nurse Population to Improve Patient Care
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Nursing
Mentor Information
Joy Washburn, washburj@gvsu.edu
Department
Kirkhof College of Nursing
Location
Kirkhof Center KC53
Start Date
13-4-2011 4:00 PM
End Date
13-4-2011 5:00 PM
Keywords
Death and Dying
Abstract
It is not uncommon for a nurse to be assigned to care for a patient who is dying. However, many collegiate nursing curriculums lack end-of-life course content and students continue to express fear and anxiety towards caring for a dying patient. This fear is multifaceted and is strongly influenced by the individual's fears about their own mortality. This project seeks to reduce death anxiety as expressed by student nurses, thus allowing them to provide a higher quality of care. An extensive literature review has revealed that debriefing with a mentor may be one of the best interventions to help student nurses cope with the death of a patient. However, self reflection exercises focused on personal attitudes towards death and personal expectations for care at the end of life may also be helpful in reducing anxiety. Incorporating similar end-of-life concepts into all courses throughout collegiate nursing curriculums could better prepare students for end-of-life patient care.
Reducing Death Anxiety in the Student Nurse Population to Improve Patient Care
Kirkhof Center KC53
It is not uncommon for a nurse to be assigned to care for a patient who is dying. However, many collegiate nursing curriculums lack end-of-life course content and students continue to express fear and anxiety towards caring for a dying patient. This fear is multifaceted and is strongly influenced by the individual's fears about their own mortality. This project seeks to reduce death anxiety as expressed by student nurses, thus allowing them to provide a higher quality of care. An extensive literature review has revealed that debriefing with a mentor may be one of the best interventions to help student nurses cope with the death of a patient. However, self reflection exercises focused on personal attitudes towards death and personal expectations for care at the end of life may also be helpful in reducing anxiety. Incorporating similar end-of-life concepts into all courses throughout collegiate nursing curriculums could better prepare students for end-of-life patient care.